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Former BBC Director-General Lord Tony Hall has resigned as President of the National Gallery as turmoil continues to spread after a condemnatory report in the station’s interview with Diana, Princess of Wales , 25 years ago.
An investigation published earlier this week found that the BBC journalist Martin Bashir had lied to get a one-on-one interview with the princess in 1995, using deceptive methods which were later obscured by a “sadly ineffective” internal investigation by Hall, which later became in the general manager of the station.
Hall said in a statement Saturday that he left his role at the National Gallery, as “it is clear that continuing with the role would be a distraction for an institution that I care deeply about.”
“As I said two days ago, I am very sorry for the events of 25 years ago and I think leadership means taking responsibility,” added Hall, who took over the presidency last July, just months after leaving the BBC.
The scandal has left the UK’s largest broadcasting channel struggling to maintain public confidence, which has been observed by the heir to the throne, Prince William. accuse him of betraying his parents and feed her mother’s “fear, paranoia and isolation” as she negotiates her future funding deal with the government.
Bashir resigned from the BBC last week on ill health grounds and on Friday Tim Suter, a former BBC News executive who was involved in the original internal investigation, left the advice of Ofcom’s watchdog.
Meanwhile, Sky News reported on Saturday that Diana’s brother Charles, Earl Spencer, had written to the head of the metropolitan police to ask the force to re-examine the circumstances surrounding the interview, which was broadcast on the BBC Panorama program a quarter of a century ago.
Scotland Yard had already said it would assess the content of the investigation to make sure there was no “significant new evidence” to support a criminal investigation.
Sir John Kingman, vice-chairman of the board of trustees of the National Gallery, said on Saturday that the museum “was very sorry to lose it, but of course we fully understand and respect its decision”. Kingman will resume Hall’s responsibilities in the short term, the gallery said.
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