David Dimbleby thinks the BBC is "absolutely vital".
David Dimbleby thinks the BBC is 'absolutely vital'
The former 'Question Time' host offers his personal take on major controversies that affected the BBC during his time at the corporation in three-part series 'Days That Shook The BBC with David Dimbleby', as the company celebrates its centenary this week.
In the final episode of the show - which he pitched to the BBC around two-and-a-half years ago - he concludes the idea that the BBC should not exist is alarming.
David believes it is important for the company to stick around because it doesn't have a "political agenda".
He said: "The BBC is the one organisation that can be relied on not to have a political agenda. The BBC’s only agenda is to try to get to the truth of things.
"It doesn’t have a political slant, it doesn’t have particular views it wants to get across.
"It is as near as we can get to an objective truth teller. And I think, in a world where there is a cacophony of voices and a cacophony of different prejudices and opinions and distortions prevailing, it’s absolutely vital to have something where, whatever its faults, its intention is to strive to tell the objective truth."
While the 83-year-old journalist admits the BBC's 100th birthday is a "cause for celebration", he believes the corporation should be looking to the "next 100 years".
He added: "Milestones are obviously a cause for celebration but actually, when you hit 100 years, what you should be looking at is the next 100 years.
"The past is very interesting, but it is gone. It’s what it teaches us for the future that matters."
The BBC (British Broadcasting Company) is marking its 100th birthday this week after it was formed on October 18, 1922.