BBC may air Diana clips despite plea by William
BBC bosses could snub Prince William’s plea not to show the Princess Diana interview at the centre of a dirty tricks storm.
The Duke of Cambridge slammed the broadcaster last week over the 1995 Panorama special hosted by Martin Bashir.
It comes after it was revealed Bashir is still on the BBC payroll after an inquiry highlighted his “deceitful conduct” to clinch the interview.
William called for the documentary never to be aired again, saying it exacerbated his mother’s “fear, paranoia and isolation”.
But BBC director general Tim Davie yesterday refused to rule out showing footage of the interview.
Mr Davie said he has “no intention” of airing the entire programme again.
Pushed on whether he meant any aspect of it, he said: “I think we need to discuss clips and reflect on that. My view is you cannot now look at this interview free from the context in which it was secured.”
William had said: “It is my firm view that this Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.
“It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.
“But what saddens me most is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived.”
Mr Davie said yesterday that Bashir, 58, currently the BBC religious affairs editor, is “working out a short notice period” before leaving.
It is understood he has been on a fraction of his hefty salary but has still earned more than £60,000 while on sick leave.
Mr Davie also said it was a “big mistake” to rehire the former Panorama star after he left the BBC. He promised to publish an inquiry into why they brought him back despite his admission to faking documents to con Diana.
The scandal is the subject of three inquiries, two internal and one before the Commons Media Committee.