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Dianarama

The shocking true story of deception, cover-ups and the Panorama scandal that betrayed Princess Diana

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Dianarama

By: Andy Webb
Narrated by: Andy Webb
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Brought to you by Penguin.

REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME: THE TRUE STORY OF THE DECEPTION OF PRINCESS DIANA

The death of Princess Diana in August 1997 was one of the most shocking events in recent history.

Many events surrounding the tragedy have been shrouded in mystery, in particular the BBC Panorama interview Diana gave to journalist Martin Bashir less than two years before she died.

However, the true extent of the deception the princess experienced as well as the cover-up which ensued has never before been revealed – until now.

  • Dianarama is the story of one of the biggest scandals in public life and broadcasting history and of the cover-up that followed to hide what happened, leaving the damaged princess to her fate.
  • Andy Webb is the writer and award-winning filmmaker who obtained the secret files that first broke the story of Princess Diana's betrayal.
  • Here he offers unrivalled insider access to the key players in the drama in a thrilling first-hand narrative, putting the reader inside the room where each key decision was taken.
  • The story takes us from the moment BBC reporter Martin Bashir first contrived his dossier of forged bank statements in 1995 to the 2024 courtroom where Webb faced the BBC's elite legal squad to demand the release of 10,000 pages of highly contested documents relating to the scandal.


A story for the ages, the fate of Princess Diana will be debated by scholars and gossips centuries from now.

This book, filled with revelations which have not yet entered the public record, will become a key part in the first draft of history.

'A STORY WE WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO READ' PATRICK JEPHSON, PRIVATE SECRETARY TO PRINCESS DIANA

'AN IMPORTANT AND FORENSIC EXAMINATION' CHARLES SPENCER

© Andy Webb 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

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Critic reviews

Dianarama often has the feel of a thriller… a well written, pacy book
Anyone who cares for honest reporting and the health of the BBC should read Dianarama. On one level it’s the definitive account of the BBC’s disastrous Martin Bashir saga and its consequences, by the man who exposed it all. It’s also a gripping tale of deceit, cover ups and that very British habit of punishing the whistleblower while promoting time-serving hacks!
Sensational. A vigorous and heavily researched read. As entertaining and energetic as a thriller. Webb juggles multiple revelations and unearthed seminal documents. In his meticulous and readable style and with his newly uncovered items, it is a shocking tale
Extraordinary, a shocking list of wrongdoing. Meticulously researched and carefully crafted. Webb’s sources are impeccable. *****
After 20 years investigating Princess Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview with Martin Bashir… the extent of his duplicity, as well as the BBC’s failings afterwards, is laid bare in this fine book
You close the book knowing that Diana Spencer would almost certainly still be alive were it not for the BBC's behaviour. If a member of the public like me feels, on reading this book, a fizzing rage and grief for poor Diana - what can her sons, brother and surviving sisters be feeling?
All stars
Most relevant
The amount of research required to write this book would have overwhelmed many. Thank goodness Andy Webb’s tenacious investigative mind sought the truth. RIP Diana

The Truth

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Good research but this could have been half the length .. I must have heard “he lied three times “ about 20+ times and it started to get really annoying

Repeated itself time and again chapter after chapter

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Time flies when you are listening to this nearly 13 hour long book.

Journalist and TV producer Andy Webb had good reason to suspect some of the most powerful people in broadcasting had acted corruptly, and, after 25 years of dogged investigation, he proved that to be the case.

The journalism is detailed and forensic but never boring. The thoroughness of his research allows him to tell the story in a forceful and compelling way. His zeal for exposing this scandal is reflected in the passionate way he reads this audiobook.

He deserves to win lots of literary and journalistic prizes.

Compelling storytelling, brilliant journalism.

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Setting apart the shameful way Bashir, the Panorma production team and the BBC behaved I find it almost impossible to find any sympathy with Diana. I mean how stupid do you have to be to have been taken in by the rubbish he was pedalling? Where did she leave her commonsense? Meetings in underground car parks, Diana seeing conspiracies everywhere - yeah, because the whole world revolves around her in her world. Ultimately, I think the book exposes what kind of a person she was. She wasn't this deity that people turned her into on death. She was largely what she was when she was 18. Immature, uneducated - too much time on her hands, off to the gym, bedding a few lovers, shopping and lunching, a few hours work a week. She didn't do any of the things that call upon a normal person's day, daily commute, cooking and cleaning, the grocery run, raising her kids, help them with their homework, she used them as pawns in her fight with Charles and her endless pettiness. She was vexatious, she was manipulative, she was self-absorbed, mercurial and immature at heart. She was life sucking not life affirming. Oh she had a short-lived charm which fooled some but it was self-serving not generous.

As to the book. The content is well researched - as usual with the BBC it will go nowhere as they move into self-protection mode. The book could be trimmed - there's a lot of ground that gets covered over and over again underestimating the listener's ability to keep up. The author's delivery is pedestrian rather than dynamic - there are some good audible readers out there - authors should use them. Listeners will be grateful.

Diana is so hard to like.

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This was an excellent listen. Deeply researched but never venturing into the sensationalist, it shines a bright light on the Bashir, the BBC and their mutual cover up of how Diana was manipulated and weaponised by the national broadcaster.

A Definitive Work

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