The results of an independent inquiry into how the relatively unknown BBC reporter Martin Bashir conducted a bombshell interview with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1995 are expected to be published later on Thursday.
The investigation is being led by former Supreme Court Judge Lord Dyson, who looked into whether Bashir acted improperly to convince Princess Diana to sit down for the BBC’s Panorama interview, where he detailed the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles.
Bashir, who resigned as religious affairs editor for the BBC over health reasons last week, has not publicly commented on the ongoing probe or allegations made against him.
Despite once admitting that he had forged bank statements back in 1995 to secure a meeting with Diana’s brother Charles Spencer and be introduced to the Princess of Wales, Bashir claimed that the fake documents were never shown to Diana and that taking part in the interview was her own decision.
Earl Spencer, for his part, insists that it was Bashir who lured Diana into giving the scandalous interview by feeding her increasing “paranoia”. The journalist allegedly told the Princess of Wales that she was being spied on, her phone wiretapped, and car followed, according to Spencer.
The BBC's independent probe into the Diana interview was announced in December 2020 by the news network’s Director-General Tim Davie, who pledged “to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this”.
He was echoed at the time by Diana's son Prince William, who expressed support for the investigation, which he said should "help establish the truth behind the actions" that led to the interview.
As far as Bashir is concerned, the BBC Press Office said late last week that he “does not wish to be contacted by media and will not be making public comment at this time”.
Shortly afterwards, Queen Elizabeth II wrote to Charles and Diana calling on them to seek a divorce. The princess died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 as her driver tried to speed away from paparazzi photographers following the vehicle.