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Who is Martin Bashir? BBC forced to apologize as journalist used 'deceitful' methods to secure Diana interview

A report found that Bashir showed fake bank statements to Diana's brother Charles Spencer to secure career-defining 1995 interview, leading broadcaster to make an apology

The BBC has issued a "full and unconditional apology" after it came to light that famous journalist Martin Bashir used forged bank statements to secure an interview with Princess Diana. The story has rocked British politics and journalism after the report was released by the BBC. The inquiry into the interview was led by former judge Lord Dyson. 

On Thursday, May 20, BBC Director-General Tim Davie cleared the air and issued an apology. He told the public, "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. 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."

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The six-month investigation led Daive to say, "Mr Bashir acted inappropriately and in serious breach of BBC guidelines." Back in 1996, an internal investigation cleared Bashir and the broadcaster of wrongdoing. As the apology makes waves on social media, we dive into the famous journalist and the incident in question — the 1995 interview with Princess Diana.

Who is Martin Bashir?

The discredited former journalist rose to fame thanks to his 1995 interview with Diana where she spilled the secrets about her divorce with Prince Charles. But before that, he was from one of the many immigrant families living in the UK. Bashir's parents were originally from Pakistan and he was raised in South London. He studied English at Southampton University and then religious history at King's College London. After graduating, Bashir turned to journalism. 

He worked as a freelance sports journalist before joining the BBC in 1986. He was working for 'Panorama', the BBC's current affairs documentary program, when he convinced Princess Diana to speak to the public in 1995. After that, he joined iTV in 1999. Then in 2004, he moved to the States, working with ABC and NBC. He ran into trouble multiple times in the US, including for infamously making a racial slur. 

In 2008, he infamously said, "I’m happy to be in the midst of so many Asian babes," at an Asian American Journalists Association convention in Chicago. He was suspended by ABC after that incident, but never made headlines. The suspension became widely known and talked about after Bashir was forced to resign from MSNBC in 2015. That came after he called the former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin an “idiot” and “dunce". 

Bashir spent the next few years away from public life, before returning to BBC in 2016 as their religious affairs correspondent. In 2021, he gave up his role after the completion of the inquiry into the Diana interview, and a period of ill health. In 2008, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and fell seriously ill after contracting Covid-19. 

'This apology is two decades too late'

The apology by the BBC hasn't gone down too well with the public, who have slammed the organization. Bashir too has been at the receiving end of many trolls. One person tweeted, "It's going to be a lot less fun being mistaken for Martin Bashir now isn't it." Another said, "It’s about time people realize what a POS #MartinBashir is. He is too unprofessional and unqualified to be interviewing celebrities at the caliber of Princess Diana and Michael Jackson. What a Morgan Piers wannabe. Good riddance."

Daily Mail journalist Dan Wootton said, "A day of shame for the BBC as it finally says it is “very sorry” for the circumstances in which Martin Bashir procured Panorama interview with Princess Diana. Prince William and Harry are rightfully furious about what went on. Many will say this apology is two decades too late."

"Just watched the Panorama programme about Martin Bashir and the BBC lying to Princess Diana and that infamous interview. The BBC and journalists lying, who would have thought that would happen?" tweeted one person. Another said, 'It is apparently news to some that Martin Bashir is a sleazeball."

According to the report, Bashir used another BBC staff member to mock up bank statements. The forged statements appeared to show payments by a newspaper group to a former member of Spencer's staff. Bashir did this to gain Spencer's confidence and led him to introduce Diana to the journalist. Eventually, Bashir managed to secure the interview, which shocked the public, while admitting that he hadn't shown the forged statements to Spencer.