Reporter Quits Amid Princess Diana Interview Inquiry

Martin Bashir cited health issues
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted May 16, 2021 7:00 AM CDT
Reporter Quits Amid Princess Diana Interview Inquiry
Martin Bashir in 2013   (Photo by Nick Wass/Invision/AP, File)

The BBC journalist who famously sat with Princess Diana for the bombshell interview detailing her marriage to Prince Charles has quit just as an investigation into his methods for securing that 1995 interview wraps. Per CNN, the BBC said 58-year-old Martin Bashir has been struggling with health problems for months and will step down from his role as religion editor. People reports Bashir, who has long been accused of using forged documents to convince the late royal to sit for the interview, underwent heart surgery last year and continues to suffer from lingering issues. He reportedly informed BBC he'd be leaving last month.

The investigation into Bashir was announced in November after Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, renewed allegations that Bashir made false and defamatory claims about senior royals in order to gain his trust and access to his sister. The claims included that Diana’s phone was bugged and that her bodyguard was plotting against her. He claimed that Bashir showed him “false bank statements” purporting to show that royal aides were being paid to keep Diana under surveillance, and that he introduced Bashir to his sister as a result. The BBC has said Bashir admitted commissioning mocked-up documents. But the corporation has said that the documents played no part in Diana's decision to take part in the interview. Per the Evening Standard, the report is complete and is now in the hands of the BBC.
(More Martin Bashir stories.)

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