London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

No criminal inquiry into Martin Bashir’s Diana interview, say police

No criminal inquiry into Martin Bashir’s Diana interview, say police

Met makes announcement after looking at Lord Dyson’s report into 1995 interview with royal
The Metropolitan police will not launch a criminal investigation into the then BBC journalist Martin Bashir’s 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, the force has announced.

The decision was made after examining Lord Dyson’s report into the controversial documentary, which found Bashir had acted in a “deceitful” manner by commissioning fake bank statements to get the interview, and which criticised the BBC’s internal investigation into the matter.

Scotland Yard said in March it would not launch a criminal investigation, but said that it has since assessed the contents of the 127-page independent report by the former supreme court judge John Dyson, published two months later.

In a statement on Wednesday, the force said: “In March 2021, the Metropolitan Police Service determined it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995.

“Following the publication of Lord Dyson’s report in May, specialist detectives assessed its contents and looked carefully at the law, once again obtaining independent legal advice from Treasury Counsel as well as consulting with the Crown Prosecution Service.

“As a result, the MPS has not identified evidence of activity that constituted a criminal offence and will therefore be taking no further action.”

The Dyson report found that Bashir had engaged in “deceitful behaviour” by commissioning the fake bank statement, which was a “serious breach” of the BBC’s editorial guidelines. He showed the fake documents to Earl Spencer, to gain his trust so he would introduce Bashir to his sister, the report found. By gaining access to Diana in this way, Bashir was then able to persuade her to agree to give the interview.

The report also criticised the conduct of Tony Hall, the corporation’s former director general, who was accused of overseeing a flawed and “woefully ineffective” internal investigation into the issue. As the then head of BBC News, Hall was aware Bashir had told “serious and unexplained lies” about what he had done to land the world-exclusive interview.

When other media began asking questions about how the BBC had managed to persuade the princess to speak, Dyson said the corporation “covered up in its press logs” what it knew.

The report concluded: “Without justification, the BBC fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark.”

A 1995 letter from Princess Diana, published as evidence, said she had “no regrets” concerning the matter.

The interview with Bashir for Panorama was a huge scoop for the BBC. In it, the princess famously said: “There were three of us in this marriage.”

The Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex both issued strongly worded statements after the publication of the report. William and Harry condemned the BBC for its treatment of their mother, saying the interview fuelled her “fear, paranoia and isolation” and a wider “culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life”.

Hall later said he was “deeply sorry” for the “hurt” caused by the interview scandal, but denied there had been a “BBC cover-up”. The corporation has also since apologised to the whistleblower who tried to expose Bashir’s methods. The graphic designer Matt Wiessler was sidelined by the corporation after raising concerns that fake bank statements he mocked up for Bashir had been used by the journalist to persuade Diana to do the interview.

In a statement after the report’s publication, Bashir said: “I reiterate that the bank statements had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×