Dimbleby sets sail for BBC series

BBC veteran David Dimbleby is setting sail around Britain for a new series examining how our relationship with the sea influences art and culture.

The BBC One show, which has a working title of Britain And The Sea, features Dimbleby on board his own boat Rocket.

The corporation said the programme would "explore the rich heritage of Britain's maritime art and culture" and "our changing relationship with the sea".

It is part of a raft of arts programmes announced by the corporation including an interview with novelist Salman Rushdie about his time spent living under a death sentence, after Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him after the publication of The Satanic Verses.

Other programmes include a documentary about crime writer Ian Rankin, The Genius of Josiah Wedgwood and a three-part series called Treasures of Ancient Rome.