David Dimbleby was given a standing ovation by guests and audience members of Question Time at the end of his last ever episode.
Dimbleby has hosted the programme for 25 years.
At the end of the programme, he said: “After a quarter of a century I’m off to new pastures, or to look 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 have ever worked in for the BBC, a truly team effort and I did want to end by thanking the people who have made it possible over the last 25 years.”
‘From me, a happy Christmas and not goodbye, but goodnight’David Dimbleby receives a standing ovation from the panel and audience as he says goodbye to BBC Question Time after 25 years. #bbcqt #dimblebye pic.twitter.com/3ldAPY6STR
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) December 13, 2018
Fiona Bruce will now take over hosting the current affairs debate programme.
Dimbleby ended the programme by adding: “Above all, I wanted to thank you here tonight, this audience and you’re joining over 100,000 people over the last 25 years who have been in the Question Time audience and you have exercised this, what I think is a really important democratic right, which is to put questions and to argue with each other as you have tonight.”