The art of presenting—TV anchor David Dimbleby turns his hand to curating

The seasoned UK TV presenter David Dimbleby—doyen of royal weddings and general elections—will take on a new, rather surprising role this autumn: guest curator of an exhibition at Towner Eastbourne which focuses on Modern and contemporary drawings. Dimbleby was previously the chair of the gallery; now he’s swapping roles and dipping his toes in the curatorial waters, presenting Drawing the Unspeakable (5 October-27 April 2025) along with his daughter Liza. Dimbleby says in a statement: “Co-curating this exhibition has been an exhilarating experience. Liza has always been my companion and guide through the world of art. For a time, during the Covid lockdown, rather than write to each other, we would exchange drawings by email.” Artists featured include David Bomberg, Barbara Hepworth, Madge Gill and James Gillray. Works are due to be loaned by the British Museum, Bethlem Museum of the Mind and the Ben Uri Gallery and Museum in London. Stellar drawings from the Towner collection, such as Elisabeth Frink’s Drawing for Harbinger Bird (1960), also form part of the line-up.