Now BBC clears itself over Bashir religion job
BBC bosses face a grilling from MPs today over the decision to rehire Martin Bashir after he admitted lying to secure his infamous Princess Diana interview.
It comes after an internal inquiry yesterday cleared the station of bringing Bashir back as part of a “cover up” of the scandal surrounding the 1995 Panorama special.
The report by BBC director Ken MacQuarrie said the theory that the rogue reporter was re-employed to protect the broadcaster’s reputation was “entirely unfounded”.
But today culture committee chairman Julian Knight will demand more answers from BBC director general Tim Davie and his predecessor Lord Hall.
Mr Knight said he was “deeply concerned” that senior managers considered Bashir, 58, the “best candidate” for the role of religious affairs correspondent.
And he said there were revelations from Lord Dyson’s report into the scandal, published last month, which will need to be closely scrutinised by the Commons committee he chairs.
He said: “That the BBC considered rehiring when there were high level doubts over his integrity stretches incredulity to breaking point.
“By this point, as the Dyson report concluded, senior members of the BBC knew that Bashir had lied about the use of faked bank statements to gain access to Princess Diana.”
The BBC was heavily criticised in Lord Dyson’s probe into Bashir’s dishonesty in setting up the bombshell interview in which Diana talked about her marriage problems.
Bashir used fake bank documents to convince Diana – through her brother Earl Spencer – that members of the royal staff were spying on her.
After Lord Dyson condemned his “deceitful behaviour”, a furious Prince William claimed the show ruined his parents’ relationship and the final years of Diana’s life.
Ex-judge Lord Dyson also condemned the corporation’s senior management for a “woefully ineffective” internal inquiry.
Yesterday’s report says the decision to bring him back in 2016 after he left to join ITV was made by the thendirector of news James Harding.
Mr MacQuarrie said he had not given “sufficient regard” to other controversies surrounding Bashir, including being suspended by US channel ABC for allegedly making sexist remarks.
But the report said: “I have found no evidence that Martin Bashir was rehired to contain and/or cover up the events surrounding the 1995 Panorama programme.
“In my view, that theory is entirely unfounded.”
Mr Harding said yesterday: “The responsibility sits with me.
“Today’s report shows we chose the person we thought was the best candidate for the job.”
But Mr Knight added: “Where was the due diligence that should have prevented the corporation from rehiring a former member of staff who had not told a very important truth?
“Where were the senior level discussions?”