London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Ex-BBC boss condemns Bashir deceit to land Diana interview

Ex-BBC boss condemns Bashir deceit to land Diana interview

John Birt describes episode to MPs as ‘one of the biggest crimes in the history of broadcasting’

The deceit employed by Martin Bashir to land his sensational 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales has been branded “one of the biggest crimes in the history of broadcasting” by John Birt, the BBC’s director general at the time.

Lord Birt, giving testimony to an inquiry by the House of Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, said the lengths Bashir went to convince Diana and subsequently lie to bosses about his actions represented a “one-in-100-year occurrence of having a rogue reporter willing to deceive on this scale”.

Among his actions, Bashir faked bank statements to win the trust of Earl Spencer and, ultimately, Diana, then went on to lie to senior BBC executives who investigated his practices at the time.

“He started his BBC career on Songs of Praise and ends it as the BBC’s religious editor and in between perpetrates one of the biggest crimes in the history of broadcasting,” said Lord Birt, in testimony to the culture select committee of MPs investigating the affair.

“This was a serial liar on an industrial scale.”

Martin Bashir interviews Diana in 1995.


Last month, a damning inquiry, conducted by the former supreme court judge John Dyson, found Bashir used “deceitful behaviour” and said a 1996 internal investigation “covered up” known facts about how he secured the interview.
Advertisement

That investigation was led by the former director general Tony Hall, who was then head of BBC News, who ultimately concluded that Bashir was an “honest and honourable man”.

“I don’t think the words ‘honest and honourable’ 25 years on look appropriate at all,” Hall told the committee during a hostile one-hour session, in which he was asked if he destroyed a document pertinent to the internal investigation.

“We have not tried to conceal from the public – or anyone – any of the conclusions we came to 25 years ago. The notion that there’s been some consistent line that we’ve drawn under this trying to conceal something from the public is not true.”

Martin Bashir in 2019.


Hall said Bashir had appeared “contrite, inexperienced and out of his depth” in a lengthy interview during the investigation, resulting in a “yellow card” approach that allowed him to remain at the BBC until 1999.

“The thing I remember most vividly was that he ended up in tears,” said Hall. “I, we, the team gave him a second chance and that was abused and misplaced. We didn’t get to the bottom of the lies Bashir told us.”

John Nicolson, an SNP MP and former BBC News presenter, said Hall should “forfeit some of his lavish [BBC] pension” over failures including not asking Spencer if he had been shown the faked bank statements.

“I have been a public servant for 35 years,” said Hall, who has also run the Royal Opera House. “I have done a hell of a lot for the BBC and I think for the arts. And I regret this one thing we all got wrong because we were lied to by Bashir 25 years ago.”

On Monday, an internal BBC investigation into the rehiring of Bashir in 2016, when Hall was director general, cleared all those involved and found “no evidence” it was done to cover up the events of 1995.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×