Tony Corridor has resigned as chairman of the Nationwide Gallery amid the continuing controversy over the BBC Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1995.
The company’s former director normal was severely criticised in Lord Dyson’s report for overseeing a flawed and “woefully ineffective” inside investigation into how Martin Bashir obtained the interview.
Lord Corridor mentioned his continued presence on the gallery could be a “distraction”.
The peer, who was director of BBC information and present affairs on the time that Bashir interviewed Diana, mentioned: “I’ve at this time resigned as chair of the Nationwide Gallery.
“I’ve at all times had a robust sense of public service and it’s clear my persevering with within the function could be a distraction to an establishment I care deeply about.
“As I mentioned two days in the past, I’m very sorry for the occasions of 25 years in the past and I consider management means taking accountability.”
The report by former grasp of the rolls Dyson discovered that Bashir had engaged in “deceitful behaviour” by commissioning pretend financial institution statements to safe the interview.
It additionally discovered that Corridor was conscious the journalist had informed “critical and unexplained lies” about what he had executed to influence the princess to talk to him.
And when different media started asking questions on how the programme had secured the world unique, Dyson mentioned the company “lined up in its press logs” what it knew.
“With out justification, the BBC fell in need of the excessive requirements of integrity and transparency that are its hallmark,” the report mentioned.
Sir John Kingman, deputy chair of the Nationwide Gallery board of trustees, mentioned: “Tony Corridor has been doing an outstanding job as chair of the Nationwide Gallery, the place he’s a lot revered and favored.
“The gallery is extraordinarily sorry to lose him, however after all we fully perceive and respect his determination.”
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, director of the Nationwide Gallery, thanked Corridor for his work on the establishment. He mentioned the previous BBC director normal had “demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the gallery and it has been a terrific pleasure to work carefully with him as we have now confronted the challenges of Covid and as we put together to mark the gallery’s bicentenary in 2024.”
On Thursday, Prince William and Prince Harry additionally condemned the BBC over the Panorama interview , saying the company’s failures contributed to the worry their mom felt in her remaining years and was a part of a “tradition of exploitation and unethical practices that finally took her life”.
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