Martin Bashir

Martin Henry Bashir (born 19 January 1963) is a British former journalist.

Bashir was educated at the boys' state comprehensive Wandsworth School, King Alfred's College of Higher Education, Winchester, studying English and History from 1982 to 1985 (at the time, degrees at King Alfred's were approved by the Council for National Academic Awards), and at King's College London, where he completed a master's degree in theology.

Bashir worked for the BBC from 1986 to 1999 on programmes including Panorama before joining ITV.

Bashir was a freelance sports journalist before joining the BBC in 1986.

Bashir was one of five children, one of whom suffered from muscular dystrophy and died in 1991.

Bashir attributed his decisions in life to his late brother, including his appearance on The X Factor: Celebrity.

Former Justice of the Supreme Court Lord Dyson conducted an independent inquiry and concluded that Bashir had commissioned fake statements to deceive Earl Spencer to gain access to Diana, and in so doing had "acted inappropriately and in serious breach of the 1993 edition of the Producers' Guidelines on straight dealing."

Bashir resigned from the BBC in May 2021, citing health reasons.

Bashir was born and raised in Wandsworth, London, to liberal Muslim parents from Pakistan.

He converted to Christianity in his teens.

His father served in the Royal Navy during World War II.

He was a presenter on British and American television and for the BBC's Panorama programme, for which he gained an interview with Diana, Princess of Wales under false pretences in 1995.

Although the interview was much heralded at the time, it was later determined that he used forgery and deception to gain it.

For Panorama, he interviewed Diana, Princess of Wales in a 1995 edition.

He worked for the BBC until 1999, on programmes including Songs of Praise, Public Eye and Panorama.

In 1999 he joined ITV, working on special documentary programmes and features for Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

He presented the 2003 ITV documentary about Michael Jackson.

From 2004 to 2016, he worked in New York—first as an anchor for ABC's Nightline, then as a political commentator for MSNBC, hosting his own programme, Martin Bashir, and a correspondent for NBC's Dateline NBC.

In 2004, Bashir moved to New York, where he worked for ABC, co-anchoring their current affairs show Nightline; along with Cynthia McFadden and Terry Moran, he took over Nightline from Ted Koppel in 2005.

In 2008, while working as a reporter for Nightline, Bashir was suspended from ABC News after making remarks in a speech at the Asian American Journalists Association convention in Chicago that were described as "crude and sexist".

He said, "I'm happy to be in the midst of so many Asian babes. I'm happy that the podium covers me from the waist down."

He continued and said a speech should be "like a dress on a beautiful woman – long enough to cover the important parts and short enough to keep your interest – like my colleague Juju's", referring to his ABC News colleague Juju Chang, a reporter for 20/20.

ABC News suspended him.

He wrote an apology to the journalists association which stated, "Upon reflection, it was a tasteless remark that I now bitterly regret. I … hope that the continuing work of the organization will not be harmed or undermined by my moment of stupidity."

In August 2010, Bashir left ABC for MSNBC, where he served as a political commentator and occasional substitute host for Lawrence O'Donnell, hosted his own programme, Martin Bashir, and was a correspondent for NBC's Dateline NBC.

He resigned from MSNBC in December 2013 after making "ill-judged" comments about former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

In January 2013, Bashir was criticised for misleading viewers by airing an edited clip of Neil Heslin, whose son was killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, testifying in court.

Heslin asked his audience if there was one person in the room who could provide a reason why carrying an assault weapon was necessary: 'Heslin paused for five seconds and looked around him.

No one else spoke.

"Not one person can answer that question," he said.Then, someone in the audience shouted: "The Second Amendment shall not be infringed."' Bashir's edited companion footage included neither Heslin's interrogation of the audience nor the period of silence, allowing Bashir to describe the clip as "a father's grief interrupted by the cries of a heckler."

The edited footage also omitted Heslin's remarks on respecting different opinions.

MSNBC later aired an unedited video of the testimony, inviting viewers to decide for themselves whether the response to Heslin's challenge was "heckling" or not.

On 15 November 2013, Bashir criticised Sarah Palin for comments that she made comparing the U.S. federal debt to slavery.

Bashir attempted to counter Palin's comparison by referencing the punishment of slaves described by slave overseer Thomas Thistlewood, specifically a punishment called "Derby's dose", and concluded by saying "if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate".

On 18 November, he apologised, stating among other things: "My words were wholly unacceptable. They were neither accurate, nor fair. They were unworthy of anyone who would claim to have an interest in politics."

On 2 December, Bashir was suspended by the network; he resigned two days later, issuing a statement saying: "I deeply regret what was said, will endeavour to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers."

In 2016, he returned to the BBC as a religious affairs correspondent.

In late 2016, Bashir returned to BBC News as religious affairs correspondent, succeeding Caroline Wyatt in the post.

Bashir said in 2019, "Every time I have faced a challenge I have heard him whispering saying, 'What excuse do you have? You have no excuse.'"

In 2020, the BBC's director general Tim Davie apologised to the princess's brother, Earl Spencer, for Bashir's use of faked bank statements to secure his 1995 Panorama interview with her.