Marking the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death, Lifetime Television's latest Pulse Poll (telephone survey of 1,010 adults 7/26-7/29) found an undercurrent of public skepticism still exists surrounding the circumstances of the Princess of Wales' passing. According to this national survey, a strong minority (43%) is not convinced that her death was an accident, while nearly one-third believe investigations into the events of the evening of August 31, 1997 should continue.
A 2006 BBC poll found 43% Brits believed that the car crash which killed Princess Diana was an accident. (Gfk NOP poll of 1,000 adults in the U.K. aged 16+, conducted October 27-29, 2006)
The Lifetime Original Movie "The Murder of Princess Diana" airs in a special three night premiere Saturday, August 25 at 9PM, Sunday, August 26 at 6PM and Monday, August 27 at 9PM on Lifetime Television. The film also airs on Friday, August 31 at 9PM, the 10th anniversary of Diana's passing. All times are ET/PT.
"The Murder of Princess Diana" stars Jennifer Morrison ("House") in a fictionalized account of the book by the same name by Noel Botham, which theorized that the car crash that claimed the lives of the Princess of Wales, her companion Dodi Fayed and their chauffeur Henri Paul, was a conspiracy. Morrison portrays a journalist who witnesses the tragic car crash and quickly becomes convinced it was not just an accident. The movie is produced by Universal TV Limited, formerly WTTV Limited, the television arm of Working Title Films ("United 93," "Bridget Jones' Diary," "Pride and Prejudice") for Lifetime Television. Simon Wright ("Tales of the City") is the executive producer and Priscilla Parish ("The Robber Bride") serves as associate producer. Julia Stannard ("Sharpe's Challenge") is producer and John Strickland ("Big Love") is the director. Emma Reeves ("Doctors") and Reg Gadney ("Kennedy") wrote the teleplay.
The network will also present the candid and explosive 1995 BBC landmark interview conducted by award-winning journalist Martin Bashir with the late Princess of Wales, airing Saturday, August 25 at 8PM (ET/PT), Sunday, August 26 at 5PM (ET/PT), Monday, August 27 at 11PM (ET/PT) and Friday, August 31 at 8PM (ET/PT).
In the poignant conversation, the "People's Princess" opened up to Bashir about her personal and private life. She shed light on the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles and how the intense media scrutiny made her personal life almost unbearable. Additionally, she discussed her depression and eating disorder, her love affair with her riding trainer James Hewitt, as well as the difficulties of raising her children in a royal fishbowl. The BBC Interview with Princess Diana and Martin Bashir was originally part of the broadcaster's "Panorama" series. Mike Robinson was producer and Steve Hewlett was editor. The interview was acquired from BBC Worldwide America.
