Princess Diana Scandal: BBC's Apology for Handling of Martin Bashir Interview
- IndiaGlitz, [Wednesday,September 06 2023]
The BBC has issued an apology for mishandling the disclosure related to Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana. Accused of failing to release material under Freedom of Information (FOI) law concerning its handling of the 2020 scandal, the broadcaster faced criticism during the tribunal's closing speeches.
Andrew Webb, a documentary maker who initially exposed Bashir's wrongdoing, called the BBC's actions a cover-up. Even Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, provided evidence during the proceedings.
The scandal came to light when the BBC's former head of news, Lord Hall of Birkenhead, suggested in a confidential briefing that Earl Spencer had provided Bashir with bank statements. Bashir had faked these statements to gain access to Diana in 1995, breaching the BBC's producer guidelines. During the interview, Diana famously said, There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.
In a compromise reached between Mr. Webb and the BBC, the documentary maker will have access to a sample of documents. Initially, Mr. Webb complained that the BBC had not released over 3,000 emails related to its handling of the scandal.
Mr. Webb questioned the BBC's transparency, alleging that the broadcaster had selectively released documents, keeping what they considered bad stuff hidden. He believed BBC executives aimed to give the 1996 cover-up a fresh start and protect Martin Bashir from accountability.
In response, the BBC's representative, Jason Pobjoy, acknowledged that the broadcaster had made mistakes in good faith. He apologized on behalf of the BBC for these errors, emphasizing that they were unintentional.