Find out what happened to the disgraced journalist

season five landed on Netflix last week, revisiting some of the most significant events in the royal family's recent history, including Princess Diana's explosive interview with Martin Bashir for the BBC's . 

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As viewers get stuck into the ten new episodes, they may be wondering just what happened to the investigative journalist in the years after the controversial programme aired. Find out here…

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After Martin's interview with Diana was broadcast in November 1995, it was hailed "the scoop of the generation" and even won a BAFTA in 1996, making the journalist a household name across the world. 

Martin went on to secure major interviews with huge stars in the subsequent years, including Louise Woodward, George Best, Michael Barrymore and the five suspects in the Stephen Lawrence murder case.

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It was his 2003 interview with Michael Jackson in the documentary, , that thrust him back into the spotlight, however. Martin spent eight months with the singer, giving the world an insight into life at his Neverland home. Following controversy raised from the documentary, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with alcohol, all of which he was acquitted of in 2005. 

Martin's interview with Princess Diana aired in November 1995

Michael said he felt "betrayed" by Martin after the documentary aired, and after his death in 2009, his manager from 1996 to 2003, Dieter Wiesner, said of the musician's response to the film: "It broke him. It killed him. He took a long time to die, but it started that night. Previously the drugs were a crutch, but after that they became a necessity."

Between 2004 and 2016, Martin worked in New York, landing a position as an anchor for ABC's before going on to host his own programme on MSNBC and work as a correspondent for NBC's . 

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In 2013, he resigned from his role at MSNBC over controversial remarks he made about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

The journalist later returned to the BBC in 2016 as a religious affairs correspondent.

Martin enjoyed a successful career in journalism until the inquiry in 2021

BBC investigation into interview

In 2020, 25 years after the interview first aired, BBC director general Tim Davie apologised to Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, for the use of fake bank statements which suggested that people were being paid to keep the princess under surveillance. 

Matt Wiessler, the graphic designer who created the fake bank statements, said in 2020 that he had been made a scapegoat after a 1996 internal BBC investigation cleared Martin of any wrongdoing. 

Charles rejected Tim's apology and demanded an inquiry. On 18 November 2020, the BBC announced an independent investigation, headed by former Supreme Court judge John Dyson. 

Elizabeth Debicki as Diana in The Crown

In May 2021, the inquiry found the journalist guilty of using "deceitful methods" and breaching BBC editorial conduct to secure the interview. The report said that Martin lied repeatedly to several people, including at the BBC.

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While the Metropolitan Police announced that they would not be launching a criminal investigation into the interview, the BAFTA it had won was returned by the BBC. 

Martin was played by actor Prasanna Puwanarajah in season five

Martin issued his own statement in response to the report. "I apologised then, and I do so again now, over the fact that I asked for bank statements to be mocked up. It was a stupid thing to do and was an action I deeply regret." he said, before claiming that "the bank statements had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview."

Where is Martin Bashir now? 

At the time of the inquiry in May 2021, Martin resigned from his role as the BBC's religion editor, citing health issues. It was reported that the veteran reporter had been seriously unwell due to complications from Covid-19, and had undergone heart surgery in late 2020. 

Martin shares three children with wife Deborah, whom he lives with in Hampshire.

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