David Dimbleby, 85, makes rare public appearance as he attends and art exhibition after stepping down from BBC Question Time

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David Dimbleby has made a rare public appearance six years after stepping down as the host of BBC’s Question Time. 

The veteran journalist, 85, was in good spirits as he opened the art exhibition Drawing the Unspeakable, which he has curated with with his 56-year-old daughter Liza. 

Dimbleby has kept a low profile since retiring from Question Time, after fronting the programme for 25 years. 

This year, he also stepped down as chair of Towner Eastbourne Art Gallery after 10 years in the role. 

The new exhibition is inspired by the broadcaster’s exchanges with his daughter during the Covid pandemic, in which they sweetly sent each other drawings as opposed to letters. 

David Dimbleby, 85, has made a rare public appearance at an Eastbourne art gallery

David Dimbleby, 85, has made a rare public appearance at an Eastbourne art gallery

Dimbleby has kept a low profile since retiring from Question Time, after fronting the programme for 25 years

Dimbleby has kept a low profile since retiring from Question Time, after fronting the programme for 25 years

The veteran journalist was in good spirits as he opened the art exhibition Drawing the Unspeakable with his daughter Liza (right)

The veteran journalist was in good spirits as he opened the art exhibition Drawing the Unspeakable with his daughter Liza (right)

In his 25 years of fronting Question Time, Dimbleby became a firm favourite of the British public

In his 25 years of fronting Question Time, Dimbleby became a firm favourite of the British public

Explaining the idea to the Guardian, Dimbleby said: ‘Drawing is really immediate. It’s direct, quick and straight from the heart or mind. 

‘It has a vividness and power that we liked.’ 

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Since stepping back from the limelight, Dimbleby has kept his public appearances to a minimum. 

Last year, the legendary broadcaster announced he had ruled himself out of becoming the corporation’s new chairman after twice running in the past for the role. 

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today program: ‘I am now focusing on broadcasting, which has always been my greatest pleasure. So I shall carry on doing that.

‘No, I won’t apply. If asked to do it I will say, ”No, thank you very much, not this time around.”’

In 2022, Dimbleby provided commentary over Queen Elizabeth II’s committal service alongside Kirsty Young, the former presenter of Desert Island Discs.

It came 69 years after Dimbleby’s own father, Richard Dimbleby, provided the commentary for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.  

In his 25 years of fronting Question Time, Dimbleby became a firm favourite of the British public and many of his exchanges on the programme have become some of the UK’s most memorable TV moments. 

After his final programme finished in 2018, he was given a standing ovation by the audience and panel. 

David Dimbleby’s funniest moments on Question Time

When told by John Prescott that he was called Dimblebot on Twitter, Dimbleby replied: ‘I do know I’m called Dimblebot and I know there is a Dimbledance – and I can do it, too… but this is neither the time or the place.’

After committed Remainer Terry Christian repeatedly talked over the host and other panellists, Dimbleby told him: ‘OK, let’s stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, please. It’s getting boring, boring, boring. If we’re going to have arguments conducted like this, I can see why people get bored.’

When an audience member refused to stop talking while guests were trying to speak, Dimbleby said to rapturous applause: ‘I think you ought to leave.’

During a debate on the EU referendum a year before the vote, he tried to move on from the topic by saying: OK, let’s leave the EU for the moment.’ After much laughter, he added: ‘Only for the moment.’

In 2013, when Boris Johnson warned against ‘an orgy of banker bashing’, comedian Russell Brand joked: ‘An orgy of any kind would be great, but one that focuses on banker bashing would be the best kind of orgy I could imagine.’

When Dimbleby gently mocked Jacob Rees-Mogg for attending Eton, the Tory MP replied: I was at school with your son.’

Speaking of politicians on the show, he said: ‘What they most dislike is the question that catches them off guard and the humiliation of being publicly mocked.’




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