Martin Bashir has apologized for aspects of his controversial Princess Diana interview, but he says it is "unfair" to blame him for her death.
The 58-year-old journalist has spoken to The Sunday Times after an investigation this week found he was "deceitful and dishonest" in securing his 1995 Panorama interview with the Princess of Wales. This was his response to the backlash he's faced since then.
Martin Bashir: "Unfair" to blame me for Diana's death
Bashir defended himself against those who blame him personally for Princess Diana's death. He told The Times, "I don't feel I can be held responsible for many of the other things that were going on in her life, and complex issues surrounding those decisions.
"I can understand the motivation but to channel the tragedy, the difficult relationship between the Royal Family and the media, purely on to my shoulders feels a little unreasonable," he added.
"The suggestion I am singularly responsible I think is unreasonable and unfair."
Bashir was seemingly responding to Prince William, Prince Harry, and Charles Spencer, all of whom directly connected the interview to Diana's death after this week's investigation.
Never-before-seen...
Princess Diana's Brother Posts Sweet Photo Of Them Together As Children
Bashir apologizes to William, Harry but defends himself
In his interview, Bashir added that he is "deeply sorry" to Prince William and Prince Harry, who lost their mother less than two years after the Panorama interview.
He also expressed regret for showing forged receipts to Charles Spencer to secure the interview with Diana, but he added that the unethical act "had no bearing on the interview."
Bashir said, "Everything we did in terms of the interview was as [Diana] wanted, from when she wanted to alert the palace, to when it was broadcast, to its contents."
He also told The Times: "I never wanted to harm Diana in any way and I don't believe we did."
Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997, which was two years to the day that Charles Spencer first met Bashir, Diana's brother observed this week.
Diana's brother and her sons said that Bashir's BBC interview and similar practices of unethical journalism were responsible for Diana's difficult final years and her death.
This August will mark 24 years since the tragic loss of Princess Diana. She would have turned 60 years old on July 1.
"I found comfort and solace"
Prince William Recalls Learning Of Diana's Death While In Scotland
Even we were shocked...
