The BBC Dossier That Could Prove a Cover-Up of Bashir's Deception of Diana
Before the notorious Panorama interview where he deceitfully persuaded Princess Diana to appear on primetime television, Martin Bashir was relatively unknown within media circles. However, he possessed an inventive and compelling charm that made him highly persuasive.
A colleague described him:
“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 cunning and ease at deceiving even the most experienced journalists became evident when he joined Panorama and approached Tom Mangold, a seasoned reporter with 30 years' BBC experience. Mangold, who had produced 120 Panorama films and was skilled at identifying charlatans, 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 did not realize was that Bashir had told the same story to Mike Nicholson at ITV and John Humphrys. Bashir was ambitious and eager to become a celebrity journalist like them, but reaching that status required a major breakthrough.
Summary
Martin Bashir’s charm and deceit helped him rise from obscurity, using fabricated stories to gain trust and ultimately orchestrate his famous interview with Princess Diana.