BBC had dark suit ready, says Lewis of his Diana death bulletin
THE BBC kept a special dark suit and black tie in a wardrobe to announce major deaths, Martyn Lewis, the newsreader who broke the news of the death of the Princess of Wales, has revealed.
The veteran broadcaster spoke of how he had been woken at around 1am on Aug 31 1997 by his daughter who told him of the car accident involving Diana in Paris. Sir Martyn, who lived near Television Centre in west London, said he rushed there to present a bulletin before returning home. But 40 minutes later, he was woken again.
“I knew instantly what it had to be,” he told the Radio Times, on sale today.
“There was a dark grey suit, white shirt and black tie kept in a wardrobe at the BBC for occasions like this and that’s what I changed into to announce the news of her death.” A spokesman from the BBC said it would not comment on whether it still kept a dark suit for occasions of national tragedy.
Speaking ahead of the 20th anniversary of the death of the Princess, Sir Martyn said he had tried to remain professional but was caught up in the emo- tion of the occasion.
“Newscasters have to develop an emotional cocoon and I was used to not letting myself be affected by the enormity of stories I read. Yet I have to confess that there was a moment I lost it for a brief few seconds.
“I felt myself start to go when repeating the words Tony Blair spoke about her, ‘She was the people’s princess and that’s how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and in our memories forever’.”
He was also troubled for days afterwards. “I couldn’t sleep,” he said. “A few days later, still unable to sleep, I walked among the flowers at Kensington Palace at 2am and felt the enormity of the way Diana touched so many people in Britain.”
Staff at Kensington Palace are braced for a new deluge of flowers and tributes, as well-wishers from around the world flock to commemorate the princess. The Golden Gates, to the south of the palace, have been allocated for banners, cards and flowers.