Martin Bashir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martin Bashir
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Bashir in 2007
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| Born | 19 January 1963 London, England
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| Education | King Alfred's College of Higher Education King's College London |
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| Years active | 1986–2021 |
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Notable credit(s)
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| Spouse(s) | Deborah Bashir |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Reggae |
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Martin Bashir is a former British journalist and TV presenter. He was born on January 19, 1963. He worked for many TV channels in both Britain and America. These included the BBC, ITV, ABC, and MSNBC.
Bashir became well-known for his interviews. One famous interview was with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1995. Another was with singer Michael Jackson in 2003. Later, it was found that Bashir used dishonest methods to get the interview with Princess Diana. He left the BBC in 2021 due to health reasons.
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Early Life and Education
Martin Bashir grew up in Wandsworth, London. His parents were Muslim, but he became a Christian when he was a teenager. His father served in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Bashir went to Wandsworth School. He then studied English and History at King Alfred's College of Higher Education. He also earned a master's degree in theology from King's College London.
He was one of five children. His brother, who had muscular dystrophy, passed away in 1991. Bashir has said his brother's memory inspired him to face challenges.
Journalism Career
Martin Bashir started his career as a sports journalist. He joined the BBC in 1986. He worked on shows like Songs of Praise and Panorama.
In 1999, he moved to ITV. There, he worked on special documentaries.
Working in America
In 2004, Bashir moved to New York. He became a co-anchor for ABC's news show Nightline. He took over this role in 2005.
In 2008, ABC News suspended him for a short time. This happened after he made some inappropriate comments during a speech. He later apologized for his remarks.
In 2010, Bashir joined MSNBC. He worked as a political commentator. He also hosted his own show, Martin Bashir. He was also a correspondent for NBC's Dateline NBC.
In 2013, Bashir faced criticism for editing a video clip. The clip was of a father whose son was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Bashir's edited version did not show the full context of the father's speech. MSNBC later showed the unedited video.
He resigned from MSNBC in December 2013. This was after he made some "ill-judged" comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. He apologized for his words, saying they were "unacceptable."
Return to the BBC
In late 2016, Bashir went back to BBC News. He became their religious affairs correspondent. He left the BBC in May 2021. This was due to health issues. His departure happened just before a report about his 1995 interview with Princess Diana was released.
Famous Interviews
Martin Bashir is known for several high-profile interviews. These interviews often made headlines.
Princess Diana Interview
In November 1995, Bashir interviewed Diana, Princess of Wales. The interview was for the BBC's Panorama show. She spoke about her marriage to the Prince of Wales. Nearly 23 million people in the UK watched the program. It was a huge event and made Bashir famous worldwide.
However, it later came out that Bashir used dishonest methods to get the interview. He showed fake bank statements to Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer. These fake documents suggested that people close to the family were being paid to spy on them. Bashir used this to gain trust and get access to Diana.
A graphic designer named Matt Wiessler said he created the fake statements for Bashir. He thought they were just props for filming. When he realized they were used to deceive, he spoke out.
The BBC conducted an internal investigation in 1996. They said Bashir had done nothing wrong. However, the designer, Matt Wiessler, said his work dried up after this.
In 2020, 25 years later, the controversy started again. A TV documentary looked into Bashir's actions and the BBC's response. The BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, apologized to Earl Spencer. Earl Spencer said the BBC had known about Bashir's actions and "covered it up."
An independent investigation was launched. It was led by former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson. In May 2021, the Dyson inquiry found that Bashir used "deceitful methods" to get the interview. The report called Bashir "unreliable" and "dishonest."
The Metropolitan Police looked into the matter but decided not to start a criminal investigation. In July 2022, the BBC apologized to Princess Diana's former nanny. This was for false claims made about her during the process of securing the interview.
Michael Jackson Documentary
In 2003, Bashir made a documentary called Living with Michael Jackson. He followed the American singer Michael Jackson for eight months. The documentary was very popular, watched by millions in the UK and US.
After it aired, Michael Jackson complained. He felt Bashir had used "yellow journalism," meaning sensational and unfair reporting. Jackson and his cameraman released their own video to show a different side.
After Jackson's passing in 2009, his former manager said the documentary deeply affected him. Bashir later said that Jackson was a great entertainer. He also noted that Jackson was never found guilty of any crime.
Other Notable Interviews
In 2003, Bashir presented a documentary called Major Fraud. It was about Charles Ingram, who tried to cheat on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?. This documentary had a larger audience than his Michael Jackson interview.
In 2004, Bashir interviewed Victor Conte for ABC's 20/20. Conte was involved in a doping scandal. He admitted to running programs that helped athletes use performance-enhancing drugs.
Bashir also interviewed other public figures. These included Louise Woodward, Michael Barrymore, and George Best.
Awards and Recognition
Martin Bashir and producer Mike Robinson won a BAFTA Award in 1996. This was for their work on the Princess Diana interview for Panorama. Bashir also won other awards for this interview. These included TV Journalist of the Year.
In May 2021, after the Dyson inquiry found Bashir used deceit, the BBC decided to return the BAFTA Award.
Other Activities
Bashir had a small role as himself in the 2001 comedy film Mike Bassett: England Manager.
He also plays the bass guitar. He released a reggae album called Bass Lion in 2010.
Personal Life
Martin Bashir is fluent in Urdu. He became a Christian in his late teens. He is a committed Christian.
He is married to Deborah Bashir, and they have three children. Bashir has faced several health challenges. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008. He was also seriously unwell with COVID-19 in 2020. He had heart surgery in late 2020 and other procedures in 2021.
