David Dimbleby signs off from Question Time after 25 years

From Digital Spy

David Dimbleby has bid a final farewell to Question Time after 25 years as presenter in a rousing last episode.

The esteemed journalist, who announced his departure from the BBC show earlier this year, certainly could not have picked a more eventful week to have signed off from Question Time, with the shadow of the Prime Minister's No Confidence Vote still looming large.

Dimbleby was joined on Thursday (December 13) from Southwark by comedian Jo Brand, former Conservative Party chairman David Davis, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner, MP Nicky Morgan and former Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas for a lively debate about the week's events.

At the end of the hour, Dimbleby offered a few words summing up all his years moderating Question Time and looking ahead to the future of the country.

"This programme marks the end of my tenure in the chair," he told viewers as they gave him a standing ovation. "After a quarter of a century, I'm off to new pastures, or at least in search of new pastures.

"But I didn't want to end without saying something about this programme, which is of all the programmes I've ever worked in for the BBC, a truly team effort. I did want to end by thanking the people who made it possible for these last 25 years… But above all, I wanted to thank you here tonight, this audience.

"You're joining over a hundred-thousand people in the last 25 years who've been in the Question Time audience, and exercised what I think is a very important democratic right: to put questions to the panel and to argue with each other, as you have been tonight."

In closing, he added: "From me, a Happy Christmas and not goodbye, but goodnight."

Since he's practically as much of a TV institution as the show he presented and is beloved on social media, there were many tributes to Dimbleby as he signed off:

In the New Year, Question Time will usher in a new era when Panorama and News at Ten veteran Fiona Bruce replaces Dimbleby and becomes the show's first-ever permanent female presenter.

"For many years Question Time has been presented by one of my television heroes, so I am thrilled and not a little daunted to be stepping into his shoes," she recently said. "But it is a programme I have watched for as long as I can remember and have long wanted to be part of. I can’t wait to get started."

Question Time returns to BBC One in 2019.

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