Deep Fakes Are Old
November 24, 2020
Better late than never, we suppose. The New York Post reports, “BBC Apologizes for Using Fake Bank Statements to Land Famous Princess Diana Interview.” Princess Diana being unavailable to receive the apology, the BBC apologized to her brother instead for luring her into the 1995 interview with counterfeit documentation. Writer Marisa Dellatto specifies:
“Network director-general Tim Davie wrote to Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, to acknowledge the fraudulent actions of reporter Martin Bashir 25 years ago. Last month, the BBC finally admitted that Bashir showed Spencer bank statements doctored by a staff graphic designer. Spencer had alleged that Bashir told his sister ‘fantastical stories to win her trust’ and showed him fake bank records which reportedly helped land Bashir the interview. At the time, the princess was apparently deeply worried she was being spied on and that her staff was leaking information about her. Bashir’s ‘evidence’ allegedly made her confident to do the interview, one year after she and [Prince] Charles split.”
This is the interview in which Princess Di famously remarked that “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” and the couple filed for divorce in the weeks that followed. (For those who were not around or old enough to follow the story, her statement was a reference to Prince Charles’ ongoing relationship with Camila Parker Bowles, whom he subsequently married.)
For what it is worth, a BBC spokesperson insists this sort of deception would not pass the organization’s more stringent editorial processes now in place. Apparently, Bashir also intimidated the Princess with fake claims her phones had been tapped by the British Intelligence Service. Though it did issue the apology, the BBC does not plan to press the issue further because Bashir is now in poor health.
Cynthia Murrell, November 24, 2020
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