The health secretary says it has been an “honour” to work with the scientist, who leaves his role in March.
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Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam is leaving his role as England’s deputy chief medical officer.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it had been “an honour” to work with the scientist and he was “hugely grateful for his advice”.
Prof Van-Tam will continue to work for the government until the end of March.
He became well-known for his colourful analogies during the government’s coronavirus briefings, often appearing alongside the prime minister.
Mr Javid said: “It has been an honour to work with JVT and I am hugely grateful for his advice & the vital role he has played in our vaccination programme.”
Prof Van-Tam was knighted in the most recent New Year Honours list, alongside Prof Sir Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England and the UK government’s chief medical adviser.
He has been the deputy chief medical officer for England since 2017, and has captured the public’s imagination with his vivid metaphors at news conferences.
In late 2020 – while describing the early stages of the pandemic – he said “it’s clear the away team gave us an absolute battering”.
A year later, in November 2021, he warned “the final whistle hasn’t blown” in the pandemic, but instead predicted we were in “half time of extra time”.
“I love metaphors,” he told the BBC in 2020. “I think they bring complex stories to life for people.”
Mr Javid said he wished him all the best for his future at the University of Nottingham’s faculty of medicine and health sciences.
Prof Van-Tam had been on secondment to the Department of Health from the University of Nottingham.