The inquiry into the BBC’s sensational interview with Princess Diana in 1995 has found out that the BBC journalist used deceit to secure an interview with the former Princess in which she disclosed intimate details of her failed marriage to Prince Charles.

According to the reports, the British Broadcaster had set up an investigation, headed by former senior Court judge John Dyson, in November last year to look into the allegations from Diana’s brother Charles Spencer. Spencer had accused BBC journalist Martin Bashir of using forged documents and “other deceit” to trick him into introducing Diana to the journalist.

Lord Dyson - the retired judge who led the inquiry - found:

• Bashir seriously breached BBC rules by mocking up fake bank statements to gain access to the princess
• He showed the fake documents to Earl Spencer, to gain his trust so he would introduce Bashir to Diana
• By gaining access to Diana in this way, Bashir was able to persuade her to agree to give the interview
• And as media interest in the interview increased, the BBC covered up what it had learnt about how Bashir secured the interview. Lord Dyson said this "fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark"
• A 1995 letter from Princess Diana - published as evidence - said she had "no regrets" concerning the matter

“Mr Bashir deceived and induced him to arrange a meeting with Princess Diana,” the report said. Mr Bashir acted inappropriately, and in serious breach of the 1993 edition of the Producers’ Guidelines on straight dealing, the inquiry report said.

Charles Spencer said the BBC reporter linked these events to Diana’s death. “She didn’t know who to trust and in the end when she died, two years later, she was without any form of real protection,” Spencer said.

Diana had revealed about her marriage troubles in the interview

During the “Panorama” interview, telecast in 1995 and watched by more than 20 million viewers in Britain, Diana had admitted about an affair and also revealed personal details about her marriage to the heir to the throne, Prince Charles.

It was the first time Diana had commented publicly about her doomed marriage. Diana’s remark, “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded” – a reference to Charles rekindling his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, now his second wife, had become a talking point across the world.

Diana and Charles formally divorced in 1996. She died at the age of 36 in a high-speed car crash while being chased by the media in Paris, a year after the sensational BBC interview.

Meanwhile, the BBC made a “full and unconditional apology” to the British Royal family after an independent report found BBC journalist lied to Diana to secure an interview.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie admitted that the process for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect.

“The BBC should have made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew. While the BBC cannot turn back the clock after a quarter of a century, we can make a full and unconditional apology. The BBC offers that today,” he said.

Royal Family reacts to Inquiry report

The British Royal Family has reacted to the latest findings of the inquiry committee. Princess Diana’s son, Prince William, said the BBC’s failures surrounding Martin Bashir’s 1995 Panorama interview with his mother “contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation”. He added that the episode should never be broadcast again.

He said Princess Diana was “failed” not just by the “rogue reporter”, but by BBC bosses “who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions”. Prince William said the interview was a “major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others”.

Prince Harry said the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took his mother’s life.

BBC's cover-up had been worse than Bashir's behaviour

Bashir, 58, is one of the most well-known journalists in the UK.

As well as Diana, he also made headlines for his 2003 interview with the pop star Michael Jackson. He has worked for ITV and various US television networks.

Last week he left the BBC, citing ongoing health issues. He had been the corporation's religion correspondent and editor since 2016.

Lord Grade - who was BBC chairman between 2004 and 2006 - said the BBC's "cover-up" had been worse than Bashir's behaviour.

"It's taken 25 years to get the truth. It raises the question in your mind, how many more cover-ups are there in the files of BBC journalism that we haven't been told about?"

Former BBC governor Sir Richard Eyre said the board of governors would have insisted on a full inquiry if they had known about Bashir's actions.

"The fact that Bashir lied should have been made clear to us, but in my memory, it never was," he said. "We can see now that the false bank statements were the lever that opened the doors to the access to Diana."

References:

bbc.com - By Francesca Gillett
dw.com - News
opindia.com - OpIndia Staff