Martin Bashir news - live: PM says BBC must never repeat scandal as police consider criminal probe

Follow the latest on the fallout after an inquiry found ‘serious’ breaches were committed in the BBC’s explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana

Prince William issues scathing criticism of BBC after Bashir-Diana interview inquiry

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is “very concerned” by Lord Dyson’s report finding major failings in the BBC’s handling of Martin Bashir’s explosive 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

The PM said he hopes the BBC “will be taking every possible step” to ensure that such a scandal never “ever happens again”.

His comments come as Scotland Yard has vowed to “assess the contents” of the report, which accused the BBC of covering up “deceitful behaviour” by Mr Bashir, who had fake bank statements created to mislead Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, and gain access to the princess of Wales.

Previously, police had decided against pursuing a criminal investigation into the controversy. However, now they say they will review the report “to ensure there is no significant new evidence”.

Meanwhile, both Prince William and Harry have condemned the BBC over the independent inquiry’s findings, with the elder brother saying he believed the interview fed directly into the “fear, paranoia and isolation” his mother endured in her final years, while, Harry said that he believed it was “the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices” that ultimately took Diana’s life.

• Prince William launches scathing attack on BBC ‘lies’ over Bashir’s Diana interview
• Martin Bashir: Who is the BBC journalist at the centre of the Princess Diana interview scandal?
• Princess Diana: Why is controversial Martin Bashir interview being investigated?
• Prince Harry used alcohol and drugs to 'mask' feelings after his mother's death

Key Points

• Prince William launches scathing attack over BBC’s ‘lies’ on Diana interview
• Key findings of Dyson report on BBC’s failings in Diana interview
• Minister threatens BBC shake-up after Dyson report
• Scotland Yard to assess inquiry’s findings
• Justice Secretary says inquiry raises ‘very serious questions’ for BBC
• Prince Harry says he turned to alcohol and drugs to cope after Diana’s death
• The biggest revelations from Harry’s interview with Oprah

[21 May 2021 15:01 · Chantal Da Silva]

That’s it for our live coverage of the Dyson report for now. Thank you for following along today.

[21 May 2021 14:49 · Chantal Da Silva]

Piers Morgan called ‘hypocritical’ for saying BBC has ‘blood on their hands’

Piers Morgan has been branded “hypocritical” after condemning the BBC over Lord Dyson’s scathing report on the broadcaster’s handling of its 1995 interview with Princess Diana.

After the findings concluded that then BBC reporter Martin Bashir used “deceitful behaviour” and was in “serious breach” of the corporation’s guidelines when he secured his interview with the Princess of Wales, Morgan wrote on Twitter that the broadcaster had “blood on their hands”.

He was quickly met with backlash over the comments, particularly given that he had left his role at ITV’s Good Morning Britain after facing widespread criticism over his own comments about Meghan Markle.

Read more on what others had to say about his comments:

[21 May 2021 14:05 · Chantal Da Silva]

Sean O’Grady: Attacks on BBC by Tory politicians will have ‘chilling effect’ on its journalism

As the BBC contends with the fallout of the Dyson report, The Independent’s Sean O’Grady takes a look at what the impact widespread criticism of the broadcaster may be.

“Craven attacks” from Conservative politicians, he says, could have a “chilling effect” on the broadcaster’s journalism.

Read more on Sean’s take:

[21 May 2021 13:45 · Chantal Da Silva]

BBC has ‘ducked hard choices’ and failed to shore up financial future, MPs warn

The BBC appears “complacent” about the threat it is facing from declining audiences, MPs have said in a report on the broadcaster’s financial prospects.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the BBC has “ducked the hard choices” to be made over budget cuts and called the broadcaster’s plants “unambitious”.

The findings came as the BBC faces widespread condemnation after the release of the Dyson report, which highlights the broadcaster’s failings in its handling of its 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

Read more the public accounts committee’s report:

[21 May 2021 13:26 · Chantal Da Silva]

Mid-term charter review of BBC will look at governance - not editorial independence, No 10 says

A mid-term charter review of the BBC will only be focused on the corporation’s governance and regulation - not its editorial independence, Downing Street has said.

The clarification came after the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson was asked if the BBC’s editorial independence could be under threat in the wake of Lord Dyson’s report outlining the broadcaster’s failures in its handling of its 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

“I would point you to the details of the mid-term charter review which, as you know, takes place between 2022 and 2024 and it can only look at the way the BBC is governed and regulated,” the PM’s spokesperson said, according to PA.

[21 May 2021 13:05 · Chantal Da Silva]

Harry describes anger after ‘no justice’ for Diana

Prince Harry has described the anger he felt after his mother’s death over the fact that he felt there was “no justice” for Diana, Princess of Wales.

In the opening episode of The Me You Can’t See, his new documentary series with Oprah Winfrey aimed at breaking down stigmas around mental health issues, he discusses how he coped with his mother’s passing.

He said it is “without question” that members of the public were likely able to process her death before he was able to do so.

Read more:

[21 May 2021 12:51 · Chantal Da Silva]

Boris Johnson says BBC must take ‘every possible step’ to avoid repeat of controversy

Boris Johnson has said he hopes the BBC “will be taking every possible step” to ensure that its handling of Panorama’s 1995 interview with Princess Diana never happens again.

Read more on the PM’s response to the Dyson report:

[21 May 2021 12:39 · Chantal Da Silva]

Boris Johnson ‘very concerned’ by Dyson report

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is “obviously very concerned” about the findings revealed in the Dyson report into Martin Bashir’s 1995 BBC interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

On Friday, he said he hoped the BBC “will be taking every possible step to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again”.

[21 May 2021 12:37 · Chantal Da Silva]

Watch: Key moments from Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah

In his new three-part docuseries with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry describes some of the most difficult moments in his life, including his memories of his mother crying as their car was chased by paparazzi.

He also peaks about his anger about the lack of justice following her death and his struggle to cope with the devastating loss.

We have compiled some of the key moments of the docuseries here:

[21 May 2021 12:24 · Chantal Da Silva]

Priti Patel says BBC faces ‘searching questions'

Home Secretary Priti Patel has said the BBC is faced with “searching questions” in the wake of the Dyson report into its handling of the Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

Speaking on Sky News, she said: “With a free press and free media, the media themselves and our broadcasters, and the national broadcaster, has a huge sense of responsibility with the way in which they investigate, review and conduct their own media reports.

“So there will be very, very strong searching questions for the BBC post the publication of this report,” she said.