Court orders BBC to disclose emails concerning Martin Bashir

The BBC has been criticized by a judge for not releasing a large number of emails related to the scandal surrounding Martin Bashir's 1995 interview with Princess Diana on Panorama. The judge's comments came in response to a journalist's request for the documents to investigate what BBC managers knew and what actions were taken regarding the reporter. Bashir officially left the BBC in 2021 after it was revealed that he had obtained the interview through deception and the fabrication of documents. The court ruling pertains to a freedom of information request made by journalist Andy Webb, who wanted to see emails exchanged between BBC managers about Bashir during a two-month period in 2020. The BBC initially disclosed a small number of messages to Webb, but it was later revealed that there were over 3,000 emails. The corporation claimed that these emails contained either "irrelevant" or "legally privileged" information. However, Judge Brian Kennedy ordered the BBC to release more emails, criticizing the corporation for its inconsistent, erroneous, and unreliable handling of the request. The judge expressed serious concern over the BBC's response. In response to the judgement, the BBC admitted mistakes were made and stated that it is considering the ruling. The corporation also apologized to Webb and the tribunal. Webb, in an article for the Mail on Sunday, welcomed the judgement, stating that it is in the public interest for the internal emails to be made public. Bashir's departure from the BBC was prompted by questions surrounding the methods he used to secure the interview with Princess Diana. The widely watched interview was considered a major scoop for the BBC at the time, but doubts about its authenticity arose shortly after it aired. In 2021, an independent inquiry conducted by Lord Dyson found that Bashir had used deception and lied to BBC managers in order to secure the interview. The Dyson report also revealed that Bashir had asked a graphic artist at the BBC to create fake bank statements to gain Earl Spencer's trust, who would then introduce Bashir to Diana. Although Bashir initially denied showing these fabricated documents to Earl Spencer, he later admitted to doing so under questioning by BBC bosses. The report strongly criticized Bashir's behavior, stating that he had lied and maintained the lie until it became unsustainable, casting doubt on his overall credibility. Bashir has previously expressed regret for fabricating the documents but claims they had no influence on Diana's decision to be interviewed.