Martin Bashir

In November 1995, Bashir interviewed Diana, Princess of Wales about her failed marriage to the Prince of Wales for the BBC's Panorama programme.[12][13] The programme was watched by nearly 23 million viewers in the UK.[14] At the time, the BBC hailed it as the scoop of a generation.[15][16]

In November 2020, 25 years later, the BBC director general Tim Davie apologised to Earl Spencer, the brother of the princess, for the use of fake bank statements falsely indicating people close to her had been paid for spying.[6][16] The fake bank statements had been created by one of the corporation's freelance graphic designers, Matt Wiessler. However a 1996 internal BBC investigation concluded that the fake documents were not used to secure the interview and cleared Bashir of any wrongdoing. The inquiry, following a Mail on Sunday account of the falsified documents,[17] was headed by Tony Hall, who later became BBC director-general and was succeeded by Tim Davie in 2020. Hall acknowledged having never interviewed Matt Wiessler for the 1996 internal inquiry.[18] Wiessler said in 2020 that work dried up for him after the 1996 inquiry cleared Bashir, and said he had been made the scapegoat.[19]

Earl Spencer, another individual who was not interviewed in 1996, rejected the apology and demanded an inquiry.[20] Spencer told Davie he possessed records of all his contacts with Bashir which apparently imply the journalist told the princess false information to gain her trust.[6] He said that Bashir had made false and defamatory claims about senior members of the royal family and, without the faked documents, would not have introduced Bashir to his sister. Davie announced on 9 November the corporation was in the process of commissioning an independent inquiry.[21] Michael Grade, a former chairman of the BBC, said that the allegations left "a very dark cloud hanging over BBC journalism".[16][21]

At the time of the revelations about his interview with the princess Bashir was seriously ill from the after effects of COVID-19 and was recuperating after undergoing quadruple heart bypass surgery. He has not responded to enquires.[19] The BBC has said Bashir's ill health has impaired its ability to investigate the controversy any further until his recovery.[22] The Daily Mirror published a photo of Bashir taken on 6 November with the headline "Martin Bashir visits takeaway after BBC says he's 'too ill' to respond to Princess Diana claims".[23]

On 13 November 2020, it was reported that the BBC had found the note from the Princess of Wales which cleared Bashir of pressuring her to give the interview.[24] The former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond wrote in The Sunday Times the princess told Bond she did not regret the broadcast in a private meeting in late 1996. Diana said she feared a gagging order in her imminent divorce settlement, meaning it might be her only chance to give an interview.[25]

On 18 November 2020, the BBC announced an independent investigation into how the interview was obtained, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge John Dyson.[7][8]

In 2003, Bashir conducted a series of interviews with American singer Michael Jackson, for an ITV documentary Living with Michael Jackson, part of the Tonight with Trevor McDonald series for ITV, which Jackson's friend, Uri Geller, arranged. Bashir followed the singer for eight months.[26]

However Bashir's colleagues have claimed that the then ITV interviewer, only landed the Jackson interview after promising him they would plan a trip for Jackson to Africa to visit children with AIDS, accompanied by Kofi Annan, the then UN Secretary-General: when this was put to Bashir, while under oath, in a California court, he refused to answer.[27] Following the broadcast, viewed by 14 million in the UK and 38 million in the US, Jackson complained to the Independent Television Commission and the Broadcasting Standards Commission, accusing Bashir of yellow journalism. In response, Jackson and his personal cameraman released a rebuttal interview, which showed Bashir complimenting Jackson for the "spiritual" quality of the Neverland Ranch.

After Jackson's death in 2009, Dieter Wiesner, the pop star's manager from 1996 to 2003, said of Jackson's response to Bashir's documentary:

It broke him. It killed him. He took a long time to die, but it started that night. Previously the drugs were a crutch, but after that they became a necessity.[28]

Bashir later said during ABC's coverage of Jackson's death:

I think it's worth remembering he was probably, singly, the greatest dancer and musician the world has ever seen. Certainly, when I made the documentary, there was a small part of that which contained a controversy concerning his relationship with other young people. But the truth is that he was never convicted of any crime, I never saw any wrongdoing myself and whilst his lifestyle may have been a bit unorthodox, I don't believe it was criminal and I think the world has now lost the greatest entertainer it's probably ever known.[29]

Bashir has conducted interviews with, among others, Louise Woodward, the five suspects in the Stephen Lawrence case, Michael Barrymore, Jeffrey Archer, and Joanne Lees.[30]

In 2003, Bashir presented a documentary titled Major Fraud detailing the story of British Army major Charles Ingram who attempted to cheat his way to the prize money in an unbroadcast episode of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?.[31] The original programme featuring Ingram, recorded in September 2001, was withheld from broadcast because the production team quickly became suspicious.[32] The documentary had a larger audience than Bashir's interview with Michael Jackson.[33]

In 2008, while working as a reporter for Nightline, Bashir was suspended from ABC News after making remarks described as "crude and sexist" during a dinner speech at the Asian American Journalists Association convention in Chicago.[1][34] During the speech, he stated, "I'm happy to be in the midst of so many Asian babes. I'm happy that the podium covers me from the waist down."[34] He continued and said that a speech should be "like a dress on a beautiful woman – long enough to cover the important parts and short enough to keep your interest – like my colleague Juju's,"[34] referring to Bashir's ABC News colleague Juju Chang, a reporter for 20/20.[34] ABC News suspended him.[34] He wrote an apology to the journalist association which stated, "Upon reflection, it was a tasteless remark that I now bitterly regret. I … hope that the continuing work of the organization will not be harmed or undermined by my moment of stupidity."[34]

On 15 November 2013, Bashir criticised Sarah Palin for comments that she made comparing the Federal debt to slavery.[35] Bashir attempted to counter Palin's comparison by referencing the punishment of slaves described by slave overseer Thomas Thistlewood, specifically a punishment called "Derby's dose" which involved forcing slaves to defecate or urinate into the mouth of another slave as punishment. Bashir then concluded by saying "if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate."[36][37]

Bashir apologised on 18 November, stating among other things: "My words were wholly unacceptable. They were neither accurate, nor fair. They were unworthy of anyone who would claim to have an interest in politics."[37][38] On 2 December, Bashir was suspended by the network and then resigned two days later.[2][37][39][40] He issued a statement upon his resignation that said, "I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers."[2][41]

It was announced in September 2016 that Bashir was returning to the BBC as religious affairs correspondent from the following month, succeeding Caroline Wyatt in the post.[42][43]

Bashir had a role as himself in the 2001 satirical comedy film Mike Bassett: England Manager.

Bashir plays the bass guitar.[44] He released a reggae album, Bass Lion, on 26 October 2010.[45] In October 2019, he began competing in The X Factor: Celebrity.[46]