BBC chief 'will be swallowed' by Princess Diana interview 'cover-up'

Earl Spencer denied having any involvement in providing bank statements used by Martin Bashir to obtain the historic interview with Diana.

Royal commentator Tom Bower slammed Davie for "perpetuating the cover-up".

He told GB News: "What is perplexing about all this is that Tim Davie has no reason at all to defend the cover-up.

"He is being driven by the bureaucracy.

"He is not a politician, he is not a programme-maker, he does not understand what he is letting himself in for."

Bower added: "Tim Davie, instead of saying have all the documents, let's get to the truth and end the cover-up, he is perpetuating the cover-up.

"That in the end will swallow him as well."

The Panorama scandal emerged after the BBC sent Princess Diana's brother a copy of a redacted confidential briefing by Lord Hall of Birkenhead.

Hall wrongly suggested that Spencer gave Bashir bank statements of his former head of security.

Bashir altered the statements in a bid to fuel Princess Diana’s paranoia.

Tuesday was the first time Spencer had given evidence about the Panorama Scandal in public in a judicial setting.

Spencer agreed to give evidence to emphasise that he did not have a role in the deceit, according to The Times.

The BBC objected to Princess Diana's brother being called as a witness.

The broadcaster has been accused of failing to release details under freedom of information law.

Andy Webb, who exposed Bashir's deceit, has complained that the BBC is not releasing more than 3,000 emails regarding its handling of the scandal.

Webb is challenging the BBC's refusal to hand over internal emails at the first-tier information rights tribunal.