The BBC will launch an investigation into its “editorial policies and governance” in light of Supreme Court Judge Lord Dyson’s inquiry into the 1995 ‘Panorama’ interview with the late Princess of Wales.
The corporation will also investigate how journalist Martin Bashir, who interviewed Diana. was subsequently rehired, following the inquiry into his interview. In its statement, the BBC board said it hoped to ensure the “mistakes of the past” would not be repeated.
It read: “We accepted Lord Dyson’s findings in full and reiterate the apology we have offered to all those affected by the failings identified. We recognise the impact that the events it describes has had on so many people, not least those whose lives were personally affected by what happened. We also acknowledge that audiences had a right to expect better from the BBC.”
The BBC rehired Bashir as its religion correspondent in 2016. That’s despite questions already being asked about his conduct to get the Diana interview. Bashir has since resigned without a pay-off.
BBC chairman Richard Sharp said: “I take comfort from the fact that Martin Bashir is no longer here. I don’t take comfort yet from understanding why he was rehired. We will find that out.”
Asked what he knew of Bashir’s rehiring, he said: “I actually don’t know, that is being examined by the executive and they will report to the board on that. I want to see the facts.”
The ‘Panorama’ interview featured Diana giving a frank account of her marriage to the Prince of Wales, whom she separated from in 1992.
During the televised Q&A, Diana said the now infamous line, “there were three of us in this marriage”, in reference to Charles’ affair with the future Duchess of Cornwall – previously known as Camilla Parker Bowles.
Lord Dyson concluded his independent inquiry on the ‘Panorama’ interview and stated that Bashir used forged bank statements to secure access to Princess Diana, and said that the BBC was “woefully ineffective” in getting to the bottom of his wrongdoing at the time.
The investigation also found that Bashir “deceived” his way to the interview that made his name, while the BBC “fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark”.