PRINCESS DIANA INTERVIEW SCANDAL: BBC RELEASES 3,000 EMAILS

Wed 31 January 2024:

Around 3,000 internal emails from the BBC regarding the controversy surrounding Princess Diana’s 1995 interview have been made public. On December of last year, a judge ordered the release of the emails.

After being accused of using deceit to get an interview with the late Princess, journalist Martin Bashir cited ‘professional jealousy’, as well as his background and ethnicity.

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The investigative journalist Andy Webb put in the freedom of information (FoI) request more than two years ago, after claims that BBC managers had tried to cover up Bashir’s actions.

In an email dated 20 July 2020, Bashir told the head of BBC History, Robert Seatter, that forged documents played no role in obtaining the interview and it would have caused less controversy if a “dynastic” journalist such as David Dimbleby had been involved.

He wrote. “I am sorry to hear that this so-called ‘forgery’ story has reared its head again. It played no part in the interview but did allow professional jealousy, particularly within the corporation, to hang its hat on alleged wrongdoing.

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“At the time, it was also apparent that there was some irritation that a second-generation immigrant of non-white, working-class roots should have the temerity to enter a Royal Palace and conduct an interview.

“It would have been so much easier if one of the dynastic families (Dimbleby et al) had done it!”

A BBC spokesperson said on Tuesday, “Throughout this process, we have taken our responsibilities to comply with the directions of the tribunal extremely seriously. Therefore, we’ve today released approximately 3,000 documents, some 10,000 pages, to Mr Webb.

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A scandal broke out after it was revealed that Bashir had faked bank statements in 1995 and showed them to Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer to gain access to her. The act was considered a “serious breach” of the broadcaster’s producer guidelines.

Bashir’s dealing was brought to notice by BBC Head of News Tony Hall who suggested in a confidential briefing that Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, had given Bashir bank statements.

Bashir further told Seatter he had been praised by the then-Prince of Wales’s staff for not giving interviews about the programme, PA Media reported.

He wrote, “Since returning to the UK in 2015 and rejoining the BBC in 2016, senior staff in the Prince of Wales’s Office (to my surprise) have expressed their gratitude for my declining of all requests to discuss the interview.

“As I am sure you will understand, the words of the late princess have been deployed to attack surviving members of the Royal Family, particularly the Prince of Wales (Charles), something that I have never wanted to do.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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