The BBC Dossier Suggesting a Cover-Up of Bashir's Diana Deception
Before the infamous Panorama interview where Martin Bashir deceived Princess Diana onto primetime TV through lies, he was virtually unknown in media circles. However, he possessed a charm that was both creative and irresistible, enabling him to flatter people effectively.
A colleague said: "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 deceptive nature and ability to mislead even seasoned journalists became evident when he joined Panorama and approached Tom Mangold, a veteran reporter with 30 years of experience and 120 Panorama films to his name. Mangold, proud of his ability to spot 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 prominent journalists like Mike Nicholson at ITV and John Humphrys. Motivated by ambition, Bashir aimed to become a celebrity journalist and needed a major breakthrough to achieve that.
Summary
Martin Bashir’s early career was marked by manipulative charm and deception, enabling him to fool experienced journalists and secure a high-profile role by fabricating compelling personal stories.