Diana scandal 'was BBC's phone hacking moment' claims ex-Panorama producer
23 May 2021, 12:27
Former BBC producer hopes that corporation can 'recover' from scandal
A former BBC producer has told LBC he fears the corporation could lose editorial control as a consequence of revelations in the Diana scandal.
Mark Killick was the producer of BBC Panorama before being fired from the role for airing concerns around the actions of Martin Bashir – the journalist embroiled in the fallout from the Dyson report.
He looked back on the findings of the report, and acknowledged that the deceit that came from the BBC journalist "did destabalise" Diana, Princess of Wales before her interview.
"I can understand the argument they're making" Mr Killick told Tom Swarbrick, but worried that the findings of the report would have irreversible consequences on the BBC.
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"It is unwise for Martin Bashir to launch an attempt to rehabilitate himself quite so early on in the process," he claimed.
Tom acknowledged Mr Killick's point, adding that Mr Bashir's charm offensive "doesn't come across as much of an apology."
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He wondered whether the BBC would be "eternally damaged by what happened 25 years ago" because of the findings of the Dyson report.
"I hope the BBC can recover" Mr Killick noted, commending current Director-General Tim Davie's efforts to "cleanse the stable."
He worried whether editorial policy "can remain inside the BBC" in the aftermath of the report however, and believed there to be a real possibility that an "external supervisory board" could be set up.
"I'd love to see the BBC recover from this, but this, to be fair, was their phone hacking moment" he concluded.
