Princess Diana Martin Bashir interview scandal: Earl Spencer asks police to look again into controversial scoop
The request comes days after a damning report found the broadcaster covered up "deceitful behaviour" by journalist Martin Bashir.
Saturday 22 May 2021 16:08, UK
Princess Diana's brother has written to the Metropolitan Police chief to ask the force to look again at the circumstances surrounding her BBC Panorama interview, Sky News understands.
Earl Spencer's request to Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick comes days after a damning report which found the broadcaster covered up "deceitful behaviour" used by journalist Martin Bashir to secure the controversial 1995 scoop.
The inquiry by Lord Dyson concluded Bashir was in "serious breach" of the BBC's producer guidelines when he faked bank statements and showed them to Earl Spencer to gain access to the princess.
Scotland Yard had already said it would assess the contents of the investigation to ensure there is no "significant new evidence" to support a criminal investigation.
Former BBC director-general Lord Hall, who was heavily criticised in the Dyson report for his botched inquiry into how the interview was obtained, has now resigned as chairman of the National Gallery saying continuing in the role "would be a distraction to an institution I care deeply about".
He had also faced questions over the BBC's decision to rehire Bashir in 2016, even though it was known he had lied over the bank statements.
Former BBC executive Tim Suter, who was part of the corporation's 1996 internal investigation, stepped down from his board role with media watchdog Ofcom on Friday.
Both the Duke of Cambridge and his brother, the Duke of Sussex, issued scathing statements following Lord Dyson's report.
William condemned the BBC saying the interview had fuelled his mother's "fear, paranoia and isolation" in the final years of her life and damaged her relationship with the Prince of Wales.
Harry also hit out at the corporation, saying: "The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said he was "very concerned" by the inquiry's findings.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Julian Knight has said the BBC should now consider paying compensation to "whistleblowers" who had had their careers harmed after raising concerns about the way Bashir had operated.
He pointed to the case of graphic designer Matt Wiessler, who was sidelined after informing BBC bosses that Bashir had asked him to mock up the fake bank statements.
Mr Knight said: "He is clearly very emotional, he feels this has probably impaired his life to a certain degree.
"I think the BBC needs to have a real open mind in terms of the possibility of compensation but also how it interacts with people like Mr Wiessler who clearly have faced quite profound consequences due to this fiasco."