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Martin Bashir has told colleagues that his alleged role in securing an interview with Princess Diana by deceit was due to “professional jealousy” and his background.
The email was written months before the Panorama interview documentary exposed the scandal, and after the BBC was ordered by a judge in December to hand over around 3,000 emails related to the case. It was published.
Bashir was born in London to Pakistani parents and attended comprehensive school in Wandsworth.
Journalist Andy Webb filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request for the material more than two years ago.
In an email dated July 20, 2020, seen by the PA news agency, Mr Bashir told BBC History Director Robert Seeter that the forged documents had not helped him obtain the interview and that: He said that if he had been a journalist, there would have been less controversy. Dimbleby and others were involved.
He writes: “I am disappointed to hear that this so-called ‘fabrication’ story is making headlines again.
“It didn’t help the interview, but professional jealousy, especially within the company, allowed hats to be thrown at the alleged misconduct.
“At the time, it was also clear that there was some frustration that a second-generation immigrant with non-white, working-class roots should have the courage to enter the palace and conduct an interview.
“It would have been easier if one of the dynastic families (Dimbleby et al.) had done it!”
Mr Bashir also told Mr Setter that he was praised by the then Prince of Wales’ staff for not giving interviews on the programme.
He writes: “Since returning to the UK in 2015 and rejoining the BBC in 2016, senior staff in the Prince of Wales’s office have (surprisingly) declined all requests to discuss the interview. I have expressed my intentions.
“As I am sure you all will understand, the words of the late Princess have been deployed to attack the surviving members of the Royal Family, particularly the Prince of Wales, which is something I never wanted. That’s it.
“Someday – no one knows when (!) – I will have to look back on my career and think about it, but even if there is hope in it, once… It was not completely determined by the interview.
“To do that, I have to work hard at remembering, which I find very difficult.”
Mr. Seeter was asked to “publish archived interviews regarding events that referenced the fabricated article in which he was involved” and sought a statement from Mr. Bashir.
In an email, Bashir interviewed the then-Prince of Wales (currently the King) and journalist David Dimbleby, who regularly covers royal and political events for the BBC, about Charles’ marriage. I think he was referring to Jonathan Dimbleby.
This comes ahead of the November 2020 broadcast of the ITV documentary Diana Interview: The Princess’s Revenge, in which graphic designer Matt Wiesler talks about mocking up Bashir’s documents.
The BBC later apologized and reached a financial settlement with Mr Wiesler.
Also, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Channel 4’s Interview. Diana: The truth behind the interview It was broadcast, Princess Diana: The interview that shocked the world It was broadcast in the same year.
Newly released documents show Mr Bashir was praised by colleagues at the broadcaster after the interview, with Lord Hall of Birkenhead, then the company’s head of news, praising Mr Bashir for his “good judgement”. He said he had responded.
In his letter he wrote: “Dear Martin, you should be very proud of your scoop. It was the interview of the decade, if not our generation.
“But just as importantly, you handled it with skill, sensitivity and good judgment.
“A lot of pitfalls awaited us, but you avoided them all. I also think you carried yourself in a totally appropriate way throughout this episode. have changed the way we cover the monarchy. Thank you, Tony.”
Members of the company’s weekly TV program review committee also praised Bashir at a meeting two days after the interview aired.
The newly released minutes read: “(Former Radio 4 controller) Mark Damazor said that although Martin Bashir was not the clear frontrunner, he won the job because of his journalistic integrity. “He said he was deaf.”
“Well done for him to do that and good for the BBC.”
Bashir, a former religion editor, left the BBC in April 2021 citing health reasons after suffering complications related to coronavirus.
The following month, Lord Dyson’s report concluded that the BBC covered up Mr Bashir’s “deceptive conduct” to secure the 1995 interview, leading to an apology from the company and a promise never to broadcast the interview again.
The report said Mr Bashir committed a “serious breach” of the BBC’s producer guidelines by forging bank statements and showing them to Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, in order to contact Princess Diana. There is.
A BBC spokesperson said on Tuesday: ‘Throughout this process we have taken our responsibility to comply with the court’s instructions extremely seriously.
“So today we released approximately 3,000 documents, approximately 10,000 pages, to Mr. Webb.
“This latest disclosure includes hundreds of pages of reproductions and materials unrelated to the 1995 Panorama, but nonetheless captured by electronic searches.
“When necessary, we are making redactions in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act.
“There is no evidence to support the allegation that the BBC acted in bad faith in 2020 and we maintain that this suggestion is simply false.
“We have worked hard to provide relevant material throughout this long process, which involved an extensive archive and record search spanning nearly 30 years.
“We also accept and apologize that mistakes were made and have taken extensive steps to correct those mistakes.
“Furthermore, far from covering up or attempting to cover up the matter, as has been said many times, the BBC is committed to obtaining additional material and otherwise ensuring a full picture of what happened in 1995. We have asked Lord Dyson to conduct an independent investigation. It may be owned by people other than the BBC.
“The BBC provided Lord Dyson’s inquiry with all relevant documents in its possession.
“Other people involved in these events have also provided written material to Lord Dyson, which is detailed in the report.
“It was published in 2021 and its findings were fully accepted by the BBC.”