James Hewitt has blasted journalist Martin Bashir, accusing him of making him the world’s most despised man following the notorious 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana.
In a scathing attack on the journalist, James labelled Bashir a “toad” foror deceiving Diana into publicly acknowledging their affair, which occurred during her marriage to Prince Charle s and concluded in 1991. An ensuing probe unearthed that Bashir had employed “deceitful means” to obtain the interview, involving the spreading of unfounded allegations about Diana’s close circle.
Nearly 30 years on from the interview and James is still fuming about the fallout from Bashir’s conduct.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, the 66-year-old said that Bashir needed to search his conscience, adding that the deception was unforgivable with “little road back from that.”
(Image: PA)
He said: “I don’t know him personally, but I think any underhandedness — and particularly if it’s taking advantage of someone’s weakness and being a toad — is wrong. It did affect me and it had a huge effect.”
James says he now hopes the revelations about Mr Bashir put the story a different context now for the public to understand.
He said that he wants people to recognise the entire program was meant to fool someone into making comments and choices they might not have made if they had all the facts available.
(Image: PA)
“It was not good for anybody except BBC figures and Martin Bashir’s career,” he said.
“It wasn’t exposing anything, it was just using lies and half-truths.”
He said how the controversy morphed him into an international outcast and left an indelible mark on his character.
He even faced wild speculation that he was Prince Harry’s actual father, a rumour he fervently denies, pointing out that he only met Diana in 1986, a full two years after Harry was born.
(Image: Getty Images)
A 2021 independent inquiry by Supreme Court Judge John Dyson condemned the tactics of Mr Bashir, aged 61, labelling them “devious” and “dishonest” in his engagement with Diana.
James said that his personal life struggled due to his reputation as Diana’s lover and being labelled a “cad.”
He said it meant he was never able to settle down and have children of his own.
Adding: “I do regret not having a more normal existence in that respect — a successful marriage and children that might have gone on to be successful.”
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