BBC announces investigation into Princess Diana’s 1995 interview

The BBC announced Wednesday a probe into the 1995 interview of Diana in which the late princess spoke openly about her troubled marriage with the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, AFP reported. BBC has approved the appointment of former Supreme Court judge John Dyson to specifically investigate the role of the interviewer, Michael Bashir, in the interview.

The corporation approved the investigation after calls from the late princess’ brother, Charles Spencer. 

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Spencer has alleged that the flagship ‘Panorama’ programme reporter, Michael Bashir, who conducted the interview, showed him fake documents to persuade Diana for the interview.

The interview was aired in November 1995, in which she detailed her collapsing marriage to Prince Charles.

“There were three people in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” Diana famously said. She was talking about herself, Prince Charles and his long-time lover Camilla Parker-Bowles. Diana also revealed she was unfaithful in the marriage.

Diana and Charles formally divorced in 1996. She died in a Paris car crash the following year.

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Reports have surfaced alleging that Bashir, who was little known at that time, used underhand methods to persuade Diana to talk, including by claiming her own staff members were being paid to spy on her, AFP reported. 

“This is an important investigation which I will start straight away,” Dyson said in a statement. “I will ensure it is both thorough and fair.”

The BBC set out the terms of reference for the probe, focusing principally on the role of Bashir, who went on to have a global career.

It will consider “the mocked-up bank statements purporting to show payments to a former employee of Earl Spencer… (and) the purported payments to members of the Royal Household”.

It will also look at revelations made by Spencer this month about Bashir to the Daily Mail, which said the reporter made “lurid claims” about Queen Elizabeth II, Charles and other royals.

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Bashir has not responded to the latest claims. The BBC has said he was seriously unwell after contracting the coronavirus.

The BBC has been accused of a cover-up in a previous inquiry when rumours about Bashir’s alleged methods first surfaced.

The publicly-funded broadcaster said its latest investigation will be published once completed.

“The BBC is determined to get to the truth about these events and that is why we have commissioned an independent investigation,” director-general Tim Davie said.