BBC U-turn on inquiry into Princess Diana allegations

The BBC confirmed it will investigate new allegations concerning the "dishonest" manner in which it secured its historic Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, in a dramatic U-turn.

 

The Princess's brother, Earl Spencer, has handed over a dossier of evidence to the BBC which he said illustrated the underhanded methods adopted by interviewer Martin Bashir as he sought to win her trust. That included forged bank statements and the concoction of stories that played on the Princess's insecurities.

 

Earl Spencer has demanded a full BBC inquiry into the alleged subterfuge describing an internal 1996 inquiry into the allegations as a "whitewash". The inquiry was overseen by Lord Hall who went on to become the BBCs director general. Documents released under Freedom of Information laws have revealed that Lord Hall told BBC governors "there had been no question of Bashir trying to mislead or do anything improper" and that he was "an honest man".

 

The BBC has since admitted that Bashir, 57, now the corporation's religious affairs correspondent, did falsify bank statements but insisted they were not instrumental in securing the interview.

 

Despite previous assertions that he had done nothing untoward a source revealed that at the time Bashir "understood he was wrong and was contrite about it".  The original investigation is understood to have centred on a letter seen by BBC Management which was said to have been written by the Princess, which has now mysteriously disappeared.

 

In this letter she absolved Bashir of blame claiming she had not been shown any bank statements and had not been misled.  Head of news at the time Lord Hall, praised Bashir's "skill, sensitivity and excellent judgment" in a handwritten letter following the interview.

 

Despite apparently confirming in 1996 that Bashir had engaged in subterfuge, he remained at the BBC until he left to pursue a career in the United States. He was rehired in 2016 as BBC religious affairs correspondent with sources insisting that he "applied through an open competition" and "nobody looked at his file from 25 years ago".

 

Director General, Tim Davie apologised to Lord Spencer about Bashir's methods last month but declined to open a formal investigation. Amid increased publicity surrounding the 25th anniversary of the historic interview in which the Princess famously declared: "There were three of us in this marriage." 

 

In a letter to Mr Davie Lord Spencer said that had he not been shown the forged statements purporting to show several royal courtiers were in the pay of the security services, he would never have introduced Bashir to the Princess.

 

The BBC had claimed it could not investigate further because Bashir is seriously ill with coronavirus complications. However, it has now vowed to pursue the matter when he is better saying in a statement: "When he is well, we will, of course, hold an investigation into these new issues."

 

 

PM Law 

Sheffield Solicitors