There’s something about Dartmouth, Devon, that keeps people coming back. Many are content to walk the narrow streets down to the picturesque shore of the River Dart, still guarded by the 15th-century castle that gazes out to sea. Others like to use the river to venture further, sailing out into the open water, exploring nearby beaches and escaping everyday life.

David Dimbleby is one of the latter. His broadcasting career continues to take him the length and breadth of the British Isles, yet he will always return to Dartmouth. ‘It is the perfect escape from our crowded island,’ says David, who keeps a boat on the river and has a house nearby. ‘We race occasionally and fish and swim from beaches. Once a year we go for a short cruise, usually towards Falmouth. Although we often don’t get that far!’

As the Lifeboat goes to press, though, there isn’t much time for sailing. In his role as Chairman of the BBC’s flagship current affairs programme Question time, David’s in a different town every week, and is also filming a new documentary, Seven ages of Britain. ‘The programme is a history of Britain over 3,000 years seen through the things we have made: art of all kinds from painting and jewellery to sculpture and illustrated manuscripts,’ he explains. It’s the latest in a trio of documentaries on British arts presented by David. A picture of Britain saw him celebrate the landscape as seen through the eyes of artists, writers and composers. ‘I remember particularly a visit to Northumberland, when we filmed a sequence at the RNLI Grace Darling museum,’ he muses. The second series, 2006’s How we built Britain, explored the buildings that define the nation’s culture.

It was that year that David offered to help the RNLI establish a new important building in Dartmouth – the town’s first lifeboat station since 1896. A leaflet was sent to the local community appealing for support, and he felt compelled to respond. ‘I am well aware of the hazards of the river and the coast so I was really delighted when it was decided for Dart to have a lifeboat station,’ says David, who gave a generous donation to, and became patron of, the appeal. ‘I have always been impressed by the RNLI and the fact that the lifeboats are crewed by volunteers.’

David’s arts documentaries are a departure from the current affairs broadcasts with which he has become synonymous. During his career he has presented topical programmes such as Panorama, commentated on state occasions including the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and has been the BBC anchor man for UK general election coverage since 1979. He has therefore followed in his father’s footsteps: Richard Dimbleby was the leading current affairs presenter of his day and also presented Panorama. Was there an onus on David to do the same? ‘I came into broadcasting because I saw how much my father enjoyed his work. Like a surgeon’s son who becomes a surgeon, I suppose his example was powerful. There was no pressure, however,’ says David. ‘He tried to divert me into all kinds of other careers, in fact, but to no avail. I have no regrets about my choice.’

There’s no sign that the 70-year-old broadcaster plans to completely swap the cut and thrust of topical programmes for arts documentaries. ‘I particularly enjoy the “difficult” programmes, where you have to be on your toes all the time. I don’t plan to break out into some other sphere of broadcasting beyond the series about the arts, which have taken me to all kinds of places in Britain – places that I, like many viewers, always meant to visit but never did.’

David will inevitably be drawn back to Dartmouth when his current flurry of filming is complete. Nowadays, thanks to RNLI supporters, the town’s castle isn’t the only building offering protection. Dart lifeboat station opened in 2008 (as reported in the Winter 2008–9 issue of the Lifeboat) and David hopes that younger generations will appreciate the crew’s presence as much as he does. ‘It is wise to remind young sailors that, even if they are prudent, they may sometimes need the RNLI and ought to spend a small proportion of the cost of boating on supporting the charity. I only hope I will never need the RNLI’s help, but I shall always support them.’