Where is Martin Bashir now after the interview that changed Michael Jackson’s life forever?

One of the most talked-about people in Netflix’s Michael Jackson: The Verdict documentary is Martin Bashir, the journalist whose interview with Michael helped spark one of the biggest celebrity scandals of all time, so where is he now?

Bashir went on to work in America

via Netflix

After the Jackson controversy, Bashir continued to build a successful broadcasting career. He moved to the United States in 2004 and worked for several major American networks.

He became an anchor on ABC’s Nightline, later hosted his own show on MSNBC and also worked for NBC’s Dateline. During those years, Bashir interviewed loads of high-profile figures and remained a major television personality.

However, in 2013 he resigned from MSNBC after making controversial comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

The Princess Diana scandal came back to haunt him

via Netflix

Years after the Diana interview, fresh scrutiny emerged over how Bashir had secured it. An independent inquiry led by Lord Dyson concluded in 2021 that Bashir had used forged documents to gain access to Diana and that the BBC had failed to properly investigate concerns at the time.

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The findings created a huge scandal. Prince William said his mother had been failed by both Bashir and the BBC. Prince Harry also criticised what he described as a culture of unethical practices. Following the report, Bashir apologised for creating the fake bank statements but said he did not believe they directly influenced Diana’s decision to take part.

He suffered several serious health problems

Around the same time, Bashir was also dealing with major health issues. He underwent significant heart surgery in 2020. He later contracted COVID-19 and required further treatment for heart-related complications.

As reported by the BBC, Bashir stepped down from his role as the corporation’s religion editor in May 2021, citing ongoing health concerns.

So where is Martin Bashir now?

via Netflix

These days, Bashir has largely disappeared from public life. Since leaving the BBC in 2021, he has not returned to television journalism and has given very few public interviews.

That’s why his appearance in the Netflix doc came as a surprise to loads of viewers. The documentary marks one of the first times in years that Bashir has publicly reflected on his role in the Michael Jackson story.

Michael Jackson: The Verdict is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.