EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: The controversial Princess Diana interview by Martin Bashir is still out there, although the BBC agrees it won’t be showing it anymore
BBC director general Tim Davie, who vowed to relegate Diana’s Panorama interview to the equivalent of Room 101, appears to have left the door open.
Sunday night’s Diana biography, The Princess, on Sky Documentaries included footage of the encounter with Bashir.
Princess Diana during her interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of her death, Foxtel in Australia will broadcast Diana: The Ultimate Truth. One segment focuses on the infamous interview.
The BBC insists no part of the Panorama interview will be shown.
Prince William, who warned it “has no legitimacy and should never be aired again,” is powerless to throw his toys out of the stroller.
Gordon Brown has exposed Vladimir Putin as a thief, revealing that he witnessed him steal a ring from the New England Patriots soccer team boss at a Moscow trade conference. “Putin shook his hand. “That ring, it looks really good.” [Putin said] — and the guy kind of takes it off to show him,” says the former prime minister, “and Putin puts it in his pocket and walks away. That’s why we call it a kleptocracy!’
For Simon Mayo, whose popular BBC show was sabotaged when he shared his life with Jo Whiley, revenge comes fresh from the press, not cold. He tells the Radio Times: “If you look at the people who are killed in Coventry Cathedral at the end of my last novel, Knife Edge, there is … a superficial resemblance between them and the management of Radio 2.”
Helen Skelton, pictured, joins the Strictly Come Dancing cast. BBC bosses will be hoping the 39-year-old’s blonde locks, beautiful figure and long legs will boost viewership, which could confuse Skelton. In 2016 she was told by the BBC to cover up when she anchored coverage of the Rio Olympics. Apparently she irritated the nation too much.
Retired talent agent Michael Whitehall, morose father of comedy star Jack Whitehall, recalls being approached about an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and explains why he turned it down. Whitehall Sr, 82, has been married to his second wife Hilary since 1986 and claims on his latest podcast, “The more I’ve talked about it, the more I thought this isn’t a good idea…because of Strictly’s curse.” Coincidence would be a beautiful thing, Whitehall!
Christopher, the nephew of bookstore matriarch Christina Foyle, who has passed away, scrapped her famous literary luncheons at Grosvenor House, which were attended by the likes of Charles de Gaulle, HG Wells and Evelyn Waugh. When asked if his aunt had asked Adolf Hitler to come and speak about Mein Kampf, he replied, “No. She only asked him not to burn books but to send them to her to sell.’
Jilly Cooper wasn’t over the moon yesterday as she galloped home to win the 2.30 at Lingfield. The esteemed writer’s equine namesake, a three-year-old filly trained by pal Mark Johnston, outperformed her rivals to lead in the final furlong and win 6/1. Why the long faces, bookies?