The BBC Dossier Suggesting a Cover-Up of Bashir's Diana Deception
Before the notorious Panorama interview in which Martin Bashir deceived Princess Diana into a primetime TV appearance, he was relatively unknown in media circles. However, he possessed a unique charm that was both inventive and irresistible. Bashir excelled at flattering people to gain their trust.
A colleague remarked, "Like a snake charmer, he was fantastic at looking in your eyes and telling you, 'You're brilliant!' He was terrific at doing sincerity."
Bashir’s devious nature and skill at misleading even experienced journalists became evident when he joined Panorama and approached Tom Mangold, a veteran reporter with 30 years at the BBC. Mangold, who had produced 120 Panorama films and prided himself on spotting charlatans, was initially taken in by Bashir’s act.
Mangold recalled, "One day Martin took me to one side and said, ‘Mr Mangold, I’m sorry to trouble you, but I just wanted to tell you that my brother recently died and on his deathbed he said to me, ‘Martin, when you get to Panorama, imitate Tom Mangold. Operate like him, and you will become as successful as he is.’ I was really touched."
What Mangold later discovered was that Bashir had told the exact same story to other well-known journalists like Mike Nicholson at ITV and John Humphrys. Bashir was ambitious and eager to become a celebrity journalist among the top media figures, willing to do whatever it took to pull off a major success.
Summary
Martin Bashir’s combination of charm, deceit, and ambition enabled him to manipulate trusted journalists and orchestrate a landmark interview with Princess Diana, raising questions about a potential cover-up highlighted in the BBC dossier.