BBC pays Princess Diana’s private secretary ‘substantial sum’ over infamous Bashir interview
The BBC said in a statement that it has paid Diana, Princess of Wales’ private secretary Patrick Jephson a “substantial sum’’ in damages and has apologised for the way in which Martin Bashir obtained his explosive 1995 Panorama interview.
It comes after Lord Dyson’s investigation last year concluded that BBC journalist Bashir committed a “serious breach” of BBC rules when interviewing the royal.
It was revealed that he used fake bank statements to help gain the trust of Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer in the lead up to the highly-controversial, and still talked about, interview.
A BBC statement said: “The BBC and Commander Patrick Jephson have reached a settlement following publication of the Dyson Report.
“Commander Jephson was the Private Secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales. The BBC accepts and acknowledges that serious harm was caused to Commander Jephson as a result of the circumstances in which the 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales was obtained, which have become apparent as a result of the Dyson Report.
“The BBC apologises unreservedly to Commander Jephson for the harm caused to him and has paid his legal costs. The BBC has also paid Commander Jephson a substantial sum in damages, which he intends to donate in full to British charities nominated by him.”