The Richard Dimbleby Lecture

1972: Lord Annan - What are Universities for, Anyway?

1973: Sir Robert Mark - Minority Verdict

Sir Robert Mark, Britain's top policeman, tonight critically examines our system of justice. He takes a fresh look at th

Lord Goodman - Housing - Who is to Blame?

1975: Sir Huw Wheldon - The British Experience in Television

Former managing director of BBC television, Sir Huw Wheldon, gives a lecture before a specially invited audience at BBC

1976: Lord Hailsham - Elective Dictatorship

David Dimbleby introduces Lord Hailsham's lecture, in which he proposes a written constitution for the UK to limit the p

Jack Jones - The Human Face of Labour

1978: Lord Rothschild - Risk

The Chairman of the BBC, Sir Michael Swann, introduces the Richard Dimbleby Lecture, in which Lord Rothschild discusses

Roy Jenkins - Home Thoughts from Abroad

The Rt Hon Roy Jenkins, President of the European Commission and formerly Home Secretary, and Deputy Leader of the Labou

1980: Lord Denning - Misuse of Power

1982: Garret FitzGerald - Irish Identities

1983: Sir Peter Parker - Missing Our Connections

1984: David Sheppard - The Other Britain

1985: Baroness Warnock - Teacher, Teach Thyself

1986: Sir John Harvey-Jones - Does Industry Matter?

1987: Sir Denis Forman - British Television: Who are the Masters Now?

1988: Sir George Porter - Knowledge Itself is Power

1989: Prince Philip - Living Off the Land

1990: Helmut Schmidt - Europe in the Nineties

1992: Lord Taylor of Gosforth - The Judiciary in the Nineties

1994: Stella Rimington - Security and Democracy - Is There a Conflict?

Jonathan Dimbleby introduces the 20th annual lecture as Stella Rimington, the Director General of the Security Service,

1996: Richard Dawkins - Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder

In his role as the Charles Simonyi Professor For The Understanding Of Science at Oxford University, Dawkins regularly ta

1997: Lord Nolan - Public Life, Public Confidence

1998: George J. Mitchell - Principles of Peace

1999: Susan Greenfield - The Future Could be Too Much Fun

2000: Sir Nicholas Serota - Who's Afraid of Modern Art

2001: Bill Clinton - The Struggle For The Soul of The 21st Century

2002: Dr Rowan Williams - Nations, Markets and Morals

2003: Dominique de Villepin - The path towards a new world

James Dyson: Engineering the Difference

Stella Rimington: Security and Democracy - Is There a Conflict?

Jonathan Dimbleby introduces the 20th annual lecture as Stella Rimington, the Director General of the Security Service,

General Sir Mike Jackson: Defence of the Realm in the 21st Century

General Sir Mike Jackson gives the 31st Richard Dimbleby Lecture. The man who led Britain's soldiers through conflicts i

Dr J Craig Venter: A DNA-Driven World

Gene pioneer Dr. J. Craig Venter gives the 32nd Richard Dimbleby Lecture. One of the principal scientists who decoded th

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales: Facing the Future

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales gives The Richard Dimbleby Lecture from St James's Palace in London. The heir to

Sir Terry Pratchett: Shaking Hands with Death

One of the world's most popular authors gives the 34th Richard Dimbleby Lecture from the Royal College of Physicians in

Michael Morpurgo: Set Our Children Free

In this year's Richard Dimbleby Lecture, Michael Morpurgo explores the increasingly urgent issue of children's rights, a

Sir Paul Nurse: The Wonder of Science

In the 2012 Richard Dimbleby Lecture, leading geneticist and Nobel laureate Sir Paul Nurse explores the wonder of scienc

Bill Gates: The Impatient Optimist

In the 2013 Richard Dimbleby Lecture, one of the world's greatest entrepreneurs and leading philanthropists, Bill Gates,

Christine Lagarde: A New Multilateralism for the 21st Century

Christine Lagarde, the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund, delivers the 2014 Richard Dimbleby Lecture.

Martha Lane Fox: Dot Everyone - Power, the Internet and You

Martha Lane Fox, founder of lastminute.com, digital pioneer, baroness and chancellor of the Open University, delivers th

Gregory Doran: Is Shakespeare Chinese?

Gregory Doran, artistic director of the RSC, who has been described as one of the 'great Shakespearians of his generatio

John O. Brennan: Staying Safe in a Turbulent World

John O Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, delivers the 2017 Richard Dimbleby Lecture. During h

Jeanette Winterson

Jeanette Winterson, award-winning writer and acclaimed author of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, delivers the 2018 Richa

Sir Tim Berners-Lee: The World Wide Web - A Mid-Course Correction

British inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee talks about his aspirations for the future of the World Wide Web, in 2019 its 30th

Dame Sarah Gilbert: Vaccine Vs Virus: This Race - and the Next One

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert delivers the 44th Richard Dimbleby lecture from Oxford, talking about creating a Covid-19 v

David Harewood: 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush arriving in this country

Acclaimed actor David Harewood OBE delivers the 2023 Richard Dimbleby Lecture. On the 75th anniversary of the Empire Win

Sir Gareth Southgate: The Beautiful Game: Building Belief and Resilience in a Younger Generation

Former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate delivers the 2025 Richard Dimbleby Lecture. Gareth reflects on his