The Crown is slammed for depicting Princess Diana’s infamous BBC Panorama interview with disgraced journalist Martin Bashir in upcoming Netflix series – despite Prince William’s plea that it never be aired again
- Critics are furious that Netflix will recreate excerpts of the infamous interview
- The say it marks a new low for a drama accused of fabricating many scenes
- Royal biographer Hugo Vickers said The Crown has been consistently ‘dishonest’
The producers of The Crown have been condemned for depicting Princess Diana’s explosive Panorama interview against the wishes of Prince William.
Critics are furious that Netflix will recreate excerpts of Diana’s 1995 encounter with journalist Martin Bashir for its fifth series.
They say it marks a new low for a drama already accused of making up scenes and distorting facts to the detriment of the Royal Family.
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers said: ‘The Crown has been consistently dishonest from day one. They pervert the facts, they clash incidents together which did more or less happen to create something which most certainly did not.
Critics are furious that Netflix will recreate excerpts of Diana’s 1995 encounter with journalist Martin Bashir for its fifth series
They say it marks a new low for a drama already accused of making up scenes and distorting facts to the detriment of the Royal Family
‘That they focus on the discredited Panorama interview with Diana contrary to the express wishes of Prince William, and when the BBC has promised never to show it again, is indicative of the depths to which they sink.’ An independent inquiry found that Bashir deceived Diana to get the interview, seen by more than 20 million viewers, and then lied to BBC managers.
He got a BBC graphic artist to produce fake bank statements that appeared to show payments by a newspaper group to an ex- member of staff of Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother.
The inquiry said this was to gain the Earl’s confidence so he would introduce Bashir to Diana.
Series 5 of The Crown opens in 1991, and a key plotline is the deteriorating relationship between Charles, played by Dominic West, and Diana, portrayed by The Night Manager’s Elizabeth Debicki
Series 5 of The Crown opens in 1991, and a key plotline is the deteriorating relationship between Charles, played by Dominic West, and Diana, portrayed by The Night Manager’s Elizabeth Debicki.
It is understood that Netflix, which has cast Prasanna Puwanarajah in the role of Bashir, will show how the discredited reporter persuaded Diana to give the interview by playing on her paranoia.
But to tell the story, it will recreate what an insider called ‘snippets’ from Diana’s Panorama appearance. However, any reference to the interview, even if critical of Bashir, is likely to be greeted with dismay in Buckingham Palace.
A spokesman for The Crown insisted the interview was of ‘historical significance’
Last year, William urged the BBC and its rivals not to repeat the interview, saying it ‘was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse’, adding: ‘This programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.’
The BBC has already said it will never show the interview.
Royal author Andrew Roberts said there ‘ought to be a health warning attached’ to The Crown, ‘as cigarettes or other noxious and dangerous substances have’. He added: ‘I would suggest, “Despite high production values, this rubbish has no moral values.” ’
A spokesman for The Crown insisted the interview was of ‘historical significance’.
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