Martin Bashir defends Princess Diana's sit-down with him, claiming that, despite his deceit about bank statements, the interview was not responsible for her fatal car crash.
- May 24, 2021
AceShowbiz - Under-fire journalist Martin Bashir is adamant he did not "harm" Princess Diana with the deceit used to land his controversial BBC interview back in 1995.
Former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson recently concluded Bashir had made a "serious breach" of the BBC's editorial guidelines by creating false bank statements to manipulate the then-Princess of Wales and her brother, Earl Spencer, into agreeing to the interview.
The fake financial records suggested payments had been made into the accounts of members of the royal household and helped Bashir secure his explosive sit-down with Diana, which remains one of the most revealing royal chats in BBC history.
Bashir and representatives for the BBC have since apologised for their conduct, which has been slammed by both Diana's sons Princes William and Harry but, in a new discussion with Britain's The Sunday Times newspaper, the reporter claims the tragic princess was happy with the way the interview turned out.
"Obviously I regret it (the deceit), it was wrong. But it had no bearing on anything," he said. "It had no bearing on (Diana), it had no bearing on the interview. I never wanted to harm Diana in any way and I don't believe we did."
"Everything we did in terms of the interview was as she wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents... My family and I loved her."
He also insisted his interview was not responsible for Diana's car crash death two years later, when she and her then-boyfriend Dodi Fayed were chased by paparazzi in Paris, France, saying, "I don't feel I can be held responsible for many of the other things that were going on in her life, and complex issues surrounding those decisions."
"I can understand the motivation but to channel the tragedy, the difficult relationship between the Royal Family and the media, purely on to my shoulders feels a little unreasonable. The suggestion I am singularly responsible I think is unreasonable and unfair."
He went on to share his fears that the scandal will overshadow the points Diana made in the controversial Panorama interview.
He said, "She was a pioneering princess. When you think about her expressions of grief in her marriage, when you think about the admission of psychiatric illness - just extraordinary! And her sons have gone on to champion mental health."
"I don't understand what the purpose of this (allegations) is ultimately? OK, maybe you want to destroy me, but outside of this, what's the point?"
"I did something wrong... but for pity's sake, acknowledge something of the relationship we had and something of what she contributed through that interview."
"One of the saddest things about all of this has been the way the content of what she said has almost been ignored."
