The BBC has paid compensation to Earl Spencer’s former head of security about falsifying his bank statements which were used to obtain the interview with Princess Diana.
Alan Waller is reported to have received around £60,000 over 25 years later Martin Bashirthe Panorama reporter, used the false statements to gain Earl Spencer’s trust.
As a result, Earl Spencer introduced Bashir to his sister, leading to the exclusive interview in 1995 where she stated that her husband – King Charles – was cheating on her with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now the Queen Consort.
The payment to Mr Waller puts an end to a series of settlements the BBC has reached with victims of Bashir’s deception. In total, the company has paid out in the region of £2.7 million, including £1.5 million to charities chosen by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex.
A Report by Lord Dyson, published last May, found that the BBC was aware of Bashir’s duplicity, but had covered it up to protect his reputation. The Dyson review cost a further £1.4 million, bringing the BBC’s bill to a total of more than £4 million to clean up the mess after the scandal. With significant legal costs, the final license fee costs are likely to exceed £5million.
BBC hopes he can ‘draw a line under this chapter’
In a statement, the BBC said: “Following the publication of the Dyson Report last year, the BBC and Alan Waller, a former employee of Diana’s brother, Princess of Wales, announce today that a settlement has been reached between them.
“The BBC has agreed to pay Mr Waller an agreed compensation and his reasonable costs, and apologize to him for the false information on the falsified bank statements used to obtain the 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales. .
“The BBC hopes Mr Waller can now draw a line under this chapter and we wish him the best for the future.”
Waller, who lives in Norfolk, could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. But last year in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph, he said Bashir had behaved “contemptibly” and that he had been used as “leverage” to secure the interview.
The BBC has already paid substantial damages to Matt Wiessler, the graphic artist ordered by Bashir to forge Mr. Waller’s bank statements.
Mr Wiessler, who was subsequently blacklisted by the BBC, was awarded £750,000 in damages, including for lost earnings.
Alexandra Pettifer, better known as Tiggy Legge Bourke during her stint as the princes’ nanny, she was reportedly paid £200,000 for swabs and lies spread by Bashir in order to gain Princess Diana’s trust.