"Ineffective" head of Lady Di broadscast scandal probe resigns National Gallery post

AFP – A former BBC official, criticized for his “regrettable ineffectiveness” in investigating the manipulation of a journalist to obtain an interview with Princess Diana of Wales in 1995, resigned on Saturday as president of the British National Gallery.

BBC journalist Martin Bashir tricked Lady Di into giving a television interview in 1995, in which she discussed her marital problems with Prince Charles, an independent investigation concluded on Thursday.

Tony Hall, who led the investigation into the interview and later became director of the BBC, announced his resignation on Saturday.

“As I said two days ago, I am very sorry for the events of 25 years ago and I believe that leadership means taking responsibility,” he said in a statement published by the London museum.

“I have always had a strong sense of public service and it is clear that my continuity in office would be a distraction to an institution that I care deeply about,” he added.

In the report released Thursday, former Supreme Court Judge John Dyson not only lashed out at journalist Martin Bashir for using false documents to convince Lady Di to grant him the interview but also at the management of British public broadcaster for his handling of the case.

The explosive interview, one of the biggest firsts of the 20th century, watched by 22.8 million viewers at the time, propelled the hitherto unknown Bashir to stardom, who left the BBC a week ago citing health reasons.