Disgraced BBC journalist Martin Bashir hits back at Prince William over Princess Diana interview

Princess Diana during her 1995 interview with Martin Bashir. Photo / BBC

Martin Bashir, the journalist who forged bank documents to get his Panorama interview with Princess Diana, has hit back at the criticism he's publicly received from Prince William.

"Everything we did she wanted," Bashir said.

The disgraced journalist also added that he "never wanted to harm" Diana and doesn't believe he did.

Earlier this week, Prince William spoke of the "indescribable sadness" over the way Bashir had tricked his mother into sitting down for the interview, following Lord Dyson's report stating Bashir and the BBC used "deceitful" methods to get Diana to agree to the interview.

"BBC employees lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother. Made lurid and false claims about the royal family, which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia. Displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme," Prince William said.

"Everything we did [Diana] wanted. My family and I loved her," Bashir told The Sunday Times.

Martin Bashir with the Bafta he won for the interview. Photo / Getty Images

"I don't feel I can be held responsible for many of the other things that were going on in her life," he added.

Royal biographer Penny Junor has slammed Bashir's response, saying it shows "extraordinary arrogance and false confidence".

"I think he's shameless," Junor added.

"I find it extraordinary that Bashir doesn't at this stage just hold his hands up and say he's sorry — properly without the 'buts'."

Princess Diana during her 1995 interview with Martin Bashir. Photo / BBC

Bashir's comments in The Sunday Times come as Scotland Yard prepares to hold a summit on whether a criminal probe should be launched over the scandal.

Earl Spencer has also urged police to open a formal investigation.