BBC admits: We shredded Diana papers

THE BBC has admitted destroying documents relating to Princess Diana’s bombshell Panorama interview – despite previously saying there was no evidence that it had done so.

The Mail on Sunday last year submitted a Freedom of Information request asking the Corporation to provide a list of all files relating to the controversial 1995 TV interview that had been destroyed since 2018. The BBC responded: ‘No archived files have been destroyed since 2018, or at a previous date, with Panorama and Diana Princess of Wales in the title.’

But it has now changed its position after the MoS challenged its original reply and said relevant papers in four different files had been either destroyed or ‘not retained’.

It said the documents, destroyed between 2004 and 2009, had ‘little archive value’ or ‘were duplications of other records’, but that it could not identify them ‘because it does not hold further information’.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘The BBC surely must know what documents it has destroyed or how does it know that it has destroyed any documents? They are being evasive.’

A BBC spokesman said that a more ‘detailed search’ had uncovered the additional information.

Its admission came as it emerged that licence fee-payers are to foot the legal bill for Martin Bashir, 58, who has been accused of lying to secure the interview with Diana.

The BBC said last night: ‘In line with standard practice, we provide a capped contribution for legal support where former or current staff are required to participate.’