BBC apologizes for explosive interview with Princess Diana
"There were three of us in this marriage." Princess Diana's infamous BBC interview in 1995 was obtained through false documents and failed to meet the group’s standards of transparency and integrity, according to an investigation released on Thursday. BBC says it's deeply sorry
Martin Bashir, the journalist of the Panorama program in which in November 1995 Lady Di had mentioned her unhappy marriage, her bulimia, and the harshness of the royal family towards her, forged documents to obtain the interview of the princess, and then lied to his superiors, according to the findings of the BBC investigation revealed today, which show "obvious shortcomings".
Prince William, Diana and Charles's eldest son, responded by saying that he deeply believed that this Panorama interview had "no longer any legitimacy and should never be rebroadcast." "It is infinitely sad how much the BBC's failings have fueled the fears, paranoia and loneliness of the last few years I have spent with her," he added in a statement.
His younger brother Prince Harry also condemned the “practices” of the BBC. "The ripple effect of this culture of exploitation and unethical practices will eventually take his life," he said in his statement.
It was the princess' brother, Earl Spencer, who last year publicly reported his questions about the conditions under which the interview, which had the effect of a bomb in the United Kingdom, had been obtained. While a first investigation in 1996 cleared the journalist, for the benefit of the doubt, the BBC then assigned a retired judge, Lord Dyson, to investigate; and his conclusions are damning for Martin Bashir, now 58, and whose career took off with this interview.
Millions of viewers
The reporter first used a fake bank document to gain the trust of Earl Spencer. These account statements were supposed to prove that Crown Security was paying two people in court to spy on her sister. It was this document that prompted Count Spencer to introduce the reporter to Lady Di. The journalist then lied to his management, claiming that he had never shown anyone a false document.
Twenty-three million viewers watched the interview at the time, which marked a revolution in media treatment of the royal family. Tonight the BBC is broadcasting a documentary on Lord Dyson’s investigation, which was originally scheduled to air last week. Martin Bashir, one of Britain's best-known journalists, aptly tendered his resignation last week, alleging health problems. This Thursday he said sorry, regretting having used deceptive methods.
The BBC has issued its "unconditional" apologies. Even though the princess was eager to speak, as a handwritten letter published by the BBC shows, "the conditions for obtaining her interview are far from what an audience is entitled to expect."
Lady Di interview in 1995: report concludes a deception on the part of the journalist
More than 25 years after an explosive interview with Lady Di for the British monarchy, an independent report on Thursday denounced the "deceptive" methods employed by journalist Martin Bashir to obtain it, leading the BBC to issue an apology.
