BBC increasingly on the defensive over controversial Princess Diana interview

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is coming under more and more pressure to properly investigate the circumstances leading up to a Panorama interview with the late Princess Diana a quarter of a century ago.

In the latest development, former BBC chairman, Michael Grade, has said that allegations surrounding interviewer Martin Bashir’s use of forged bank statements constitute “a very, very serious matter”.

Bashir, who is the BBC News religion editor, has been accused by the late Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer (better known as Earl Spencer), of producing counterfeit bank statements, and employing other forms of deception, in order to entice or coerce his sister into participating in the interview.

Princess Diana’s brother attacks BBC over notorious 1995 interview

The brother of the late Princess Diana has accused the BBC of using underhand methods to entice or coerce his sister into an infamous interview back in 1995.

BBC credibility on the line

The BBC Panorama interview in November 1995 had a hugely negative impact on the British public’s perception of the royal family as it was watched by a staggering 23 million viewers.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One Program on Monday (November 09), Lord Grade appeared to escalate the situation by claiming the scandal is akin to a “very dark cloud” hanging over BBC journalism.  

Meanwhile, the BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, reiterated his position that the state broadcaster was taking the matter “seriously” with a view to establishing the “truth”.

“We are in the process of commissioning a robust and independent investigation”, Davie claimed.

False claim? 

The BBC continues to insist that the man at the heart of the scandal, Martin Bashir, is too ill with Covid-19 to be interviewed about the allegations.

A BBC spokesperson released the following statement on Monday (November 09): "Martin Bashir is signed off work by his doctors - he is currently recovering from quadruple heart bypass surgery and has significant complications from having contracted Covid-19 earlier in the year".

However, the BBC’s account is disputed by the Mail on Sunday which has published a photo showing Bashir visit a takeaway and a wine shop.

The paper claims the photo was taken on Friday evening (November 06) outside the 57-year old journalist’s £2 million north London home.  

The implication is clear: if Bashir is fit enough to visit his local takeaway then he is presumably fit enough to answer questions on how he managed to persuade the late Princess Diana into giving him an interview.

Damning allegations

Besides the fake bank statements, Earl Spencer claims that Bashir tricked Princess Diana into believing that she was under surveillance by MI5; that her bodyguard was plotting against her; and most ominously of all that MI6 had recorded Prince Charles and his private secretary planning the “end game”.

Earl Spencer claims that Bashir was trying to nudge Princess Diana into a paranoid state of mind so that she would agree to an interview in order to hit back and set the record straight.  

Whilst the BBC admits Bashir had used fake bank statements, the corporation continues to maintain that a written note from the Princess – which has since been conveniently destroyed – says she had not seen the false bank statements and therefore it played “no part” in her decision to agree to the interview.

But the BBC’s defensive posture – coupled with photographic evidence that Bashir is clearly fit enough to answer questions – is threatening to escalate the issue beyond the media world.

Rapid escalation

In a sign of imminent escalation, one of the country’s most influential MPs has demanded greater transparency and accountability from the state broadcaster.

Conservative MP Julian Knight, who is chairman of the House of Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, issued the following statement: "This is a very complex and deeply disturbing tale and it is important for public confidence in BBC journalism that a thorough, urgent and independent investigation is carried out and my committee will be watching developments very closely indeed".

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