Channel 4 apologises for angering viewers after getting Princess Diana’s date of death wrong in documentary

GROVELLING Channel 4 bosses have been forced to apologise after they got the date that Princess Diana died wrong in a controversial new documentary.

Princess Diana’s “Wicked” Stepmother, shown on the channel on Thursday night, recalled the royal’s fiery relationship with Countess Raine Spencer up until her death.

However, viewers were left fuming as they were told that Princess Diana had passed away on 29 August 1997 – not the 31 August 1997.

The channel yesterday issued an apology, with a spokesman saying: “Channel 4 apologises for the error.

"It will be rectified immediately and a correct version will be made available on All 4.”

Despite this, droves of viewers lashed out at channel bosses and even called for the show’s writer to be sacked.

Sandie Smith blasted: “Princess Diana died on 31st August *NOT* the 29th as stated in your programme ‘Diana’s Wicked Stepmother’ – sack the writer now.”

Jackie Walsh hit out: “@Channel4 Princess Diana’s ‘Wicked’ Stepmother – How can you get the date of Diana’s death so wrong? She died on 31 Aug 97 & not 29 Aug! Poor.”

And Ashraf Qizilbash added: “Either @Channel4 got date of Diana’s death wrong or just released a major state secret in Diana’s Wicked Stepmother!”

The backlash comes after the documentary was condemned by Diana’s stepbrother Earl Dartmouth, 67.

A spokesman for the Earl, who is Ukip deputy chairman, revealed that he had refused to co-operate and declined to discuss his mother, Raine, with producers.

Relatives of Raine, who died aged 87 last year, are understood to have got TV bosses to add quotes around “wicked” in the title to make it clear it was people’s opinion rather than fact.