BBC apologises to Princess Diana aide over interview deceit
The BBC mentioned Thursday that it has apologised and paid a “substantial” sum to Princess Diana’s personal secretary over subterfuge used to get an explosive tv interview with the late royal.
The UK’s nationwide broadcaster mentioned it acknowledged that “serious harm” was prompted to Patrick Jephson by the circumstances by which the 1995 interview, performed by BBC journalist Martin Bashir, was obtained.
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“The BBC apologises unreservedly to Commander Jephson for the harm caused to him and has paid his legal costs,” it mentioned in a press release. “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.” The 1995 interview, by which Diana mentioned the breakdown of her relationship with Prince Charles — famously saying “There were three of us in this marriage” in reference to Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles — was watched by 23 million individuals in Britain and despatched shockwaves via the monarchy.
A report final 12 months by a retired senior decide discovered Bashir used “deceitful behavior” to get the interview, together with displaying Diana’s brother pretend financial institution statements that falsely advised members of Diana’s interior circle had been being paid to spy on her. Judge John Dyson mentioned the BBC obscured Bashir’s misconduct for 25 years.
Jephson mentioned that “after more than 25 years, it is a relief finally to reach a conclusion to this painful episode.” He mentioned he would donate his settlement to a youngsters’s hospice in Diana’s reminiscence.
Diana divorced Charles in 1996 and died in a Paris automotive crash in 1997 as she was pursued by paparazzi. Charles, the inheritor to the throne, married Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005.
Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, tweeted that it was “appalling what Patrick Jephson had to go through as a result of grotesque journalism’” and mentioned the problem had been “covered up for so long by senior people” on the BBC.
