BBC reaches financial settlement with Bashir whistleblower Matt Wiessler

A financial settlement has been reached between the BBC and graphic designer Matt Wiessler after he was sidelined by the corporation following Martin Bashir’s headline-making Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

Mr Wiessler was commissioned by Mr Bashir to create mocked-up documents used by the journalist to persuade Diana to do the 1995 interview, and had long claimed he was made the scapegoat for the scandal despite attempting to raise the issue at the time.

Following the publication of Lord Dyson’s report into the affair, he received a personal apology from current director-general of the BBC, Tim Davie.

His lawyer, Louis Charalambous of Simons Muirhead Burton, said: “Mr Wiessler is relieved that the BBC has now matched the director-general’s fulsome apologies with appropriate financial compensation for the wrongs done to him and the profound impact they had on his and his family’s life.

“It is important to my client that the BBC has acknowledged that he acted properly and responsibly throughout.”

In a statement, the BBC said: “We are pleased that the BBC and Mr Wiessler have reached an agreement. We would like to repeat our full and unconditional apology to Mr Wiessler for the way he was treated by the corporation in the past.

“We also apologise to Mr Wiessler’s family.

“Mr Wiessler acted with complete integrity, including in raising his concerns at the time and we are sorry that these were not listened to. We wish Mr Wiessler all the best for the future.”

Mr Wiessler previously said that his business had folded as a result of being blacklisted by the BBC.

The explosive 1995 interview with Diana saw the princess say there were “three of us” in her marriage, and question Charles’ suitability as king.

A recent investigation by Lord Dyson into the interview criticised the methods Mr Bashir used to secure the exclusive.

The report also suggested the BBC had failed to uphold “governance, accountability and scrutiny”.