Martin Bashir and Lord Hall seen for first time since damning Dyson inquiry into Panorama interview

Martin Bashir breaks cover: Under-fire journalist is seen for first time since devastating inquiry into his interview with Princess Diana… as the BBC faces another bashing for rehiring him

  • Disgraced journalist Martin Bashir, 58, seen for first time since the Dyson inquiry 
  • Ex-BBC religion editor still earning an estimated £2,000 a week at Corporation
  • His former boss, Lord Hall was also spotted for the first time since last month’s damning findings 

Cutting a forlorn figure, Martin Bashir is seen for the first time since the devastating Dyson inquiry into his Panorama interview with Princess Diana.

The 58-year-old journalist wore casual clothing and a gloomy expression as he left his £1.7million house in Winchester, Hampshire, yesterday ahead of a second report – this time into his controversial rehiring by the BBC.

Bashir, the BBC’s former religion editor, is still on the payroll and earning an estimated £2,000 a week as he works out his notice, having quit in April.

His former boss Tony Hall has also been seen for the first time since last month’s damning findings by Lord Dyson. 

Lord Hall, head of news at the time of the Diana interview but director-general when Bashir was rehired, was pictured leaving his Oxfordshire home.

Martin Bashir, 58, wore casual clothing and a gloomy expression as he left his £1.7million house in Winchester, Hampshire

Lord Hall (pictured), head of news at the time of the Diana interview but director-general when Bashir was rehired, was pictured leaving his Oxfordshire home

Lord Hall (pictured), head of news at the time of the Diana interview but director-general when Bashir was rehired, was pictured leaving his Oxfordshire home

Lord Dyson found that BBC bosses discovered Bashir commissioned fake bank statements to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana but covered up his ‘deceitful’ behaviour. 

Lord Hall, 70, who stepped down from the BBC last year, resigned as chairman of the National Gallery in the aftermath of the scathing Dyson inquiry, which branded his investigation into the reporter’s deceit ‘woefully ineffective’.

Tim Davie, his successor as director-general, ordered an immediate review into why Bashir, who left the BBC in 1999, was rehired 2016.

Lord Dyson found that BBC bosses discovered Bashir commissioned fake bank statements to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana (above) but covered up his ‘deceitful’ behaviour

Lord Dyson found that BBC bosses discovered Bashir commissioned fake bank statements to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana (above) but covered up his ‘deceitful’ behaviour

That review, due to be published this week, has investigated how BBC chiefs who reappointed him failed to ask a single question about the row over his Diana interview, including the showing of the bogus documents to the princess’s brother Earl Spencer. 

They also ignored controversies surrounding Bashir’s subsequent work for ITV and for two US broadcasters.

There were calls at the weekend for media regulator Ofcom to overhaul its board scrutinising the BBC, as 11 of its 17 members are said to have links to the corporation.