BBC Apologizes After Bombshell Report Uncovers Lies And ‘Subterfuge’ Used To Gain Access To Princess Diana

On Thursday, the BBC published Lord Dyson’s report, sharing the conclusion of an independent investigation into the circumstances of the bombshell 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales. 

Twenty-five years since “the most famous and controversial television interview in royal history,” the BBC faced “a crisis over allegations that Martin Bashir, the interviewer who persuaded Princess Diana to give the bombshell interview in 1995, lied and committed subterfuge in order to get the princess to tell her side of the story—and that the BBC knew about it,” wrote Vanity Fair.

One memorable moment from the interview was Diana’s reference to Prince Charles’ ongoing affair with Camilla, saying “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”

In the “executive summary” of the report, it states, “The interview with HRH Diana, Princess of Wales that was aired on 20 November 1995 was a sensational triumph for the BBC and Martin Bashir, both nationally and internationally. Whatever reservations she may have had about it later, Princess Diana was pleased with the interview at the time. By early to mid-August 1995 at the latest, she was keen on the idea of a television interview. She would probably have agreed to be interviewed by any experienced and reputable reporter in whom she had confidence even without the intervention of Mr. Bashir.”

Lord Dyson continued to explain that he describes “in considerable detail the way in which Mr. Bashir commissioned fake bank statements,” which were part of Bashir’s strategy to “deceive and induce” Earl Spencer to “arrange a meeting with Princess Diana.

“By gaining access to Princess Diana in this way, Mr. Bashir was able to persuade her to agree to give the 3 interviews. This behavior was in serious breach of the 1993 edition of the BBC’s Producer Guidelines on straight dealing,” the report continued.

Lord Dyson wrote that “Without justification, the BBC fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark by (i) covering up in its press logs such facts as it had been able to establish about how Mr. Bashir secured the interview; and (ii) failing to mention Mr. Bashir’s activities or the BBC investigations of them on any news programme.”

Lord Dyson was appointed to lead the investigation by the BBC Board on November 18, 2020. 

Tim Davie, the BBC Director-General, said, “I would like to thank Lord Dyson. His report into the circumstances around the 1995 interview is both thorough and comprehensive. The BBC accepts Lord Dyson’s findings in full.”

“Although the report states that Diana, Princess of Wales, was keen on the idea of an interview with the BBC, it is clear that the process for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect. We are very sorry for this. Lord Dyson has identified clear failings,” Davie continued. “While today’s BBC has significantly better processes and procedures, those that existed at the time should have prevented the interview being secured in this way. The BBC should have made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew.”

Davie then apologized, saying, “While the BBC cannot turn back the clock after a quarter of a century, we can make a full and unconditional apology. The BBC offers that today.”

BBC Chairman, Richard Sharp, added, “The BBC Board welcomes the publication of Lord Dyson’s report which it unreservedly accepts. There were unacceptable failures. We take no comfort from the fact that these are historic. The BBC must uphold the highest possible standards. I want to thank Lord Dyson for the thoroughness and diligence of his work.”

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