I think it is fair to say that Dimbleby has definitely broken the stereotype of getting a tattoo. Surely the idea to get a tattoo is when you're in your teens, drunk and high on the prospects of life in Ayia Napa, then regret it when your old, wrinkly, sitting in your orthopaedic chair with a camomile tea shuddering at the times you stayed out past dark, experienced hangovers and still had all your own teeth.
But why did Dimbleby chose to have a tattoo done now at the grand old age of 75? Was it to break the agist stereotype? Was it a huge publicity stunt to draw attention to his new series? Or was it simply because he wanted one?
The 75- year-old told his reason to the Radio Times:
"I have always wanted a tattoo. I thought I might as well have it done now. It's a dream come true."He explained that he chose the scorpion design because of his star sign, Scorpio, and declared that he liked the idea of having a scorpion 'sitting on my shoulder ready to attack my enemies.'
Dimbleby, who has been presenting the BBC's general election coverage since 1979, got the tattoo while making the maritime series Britain And The Sea. While filming he was given the chance to have a tattoo of his own after looking at how tattoos were introduced into the UK but he turned down the offer and had a mark put on his body in black pencil instead. However he soon changed his mind when he saw a preview of the film and decided to get an ink tattoo done.
The tattoo which he got done at Vagabond Tattoo Studio in East London took 30 minutes- an hour in all and he told the Radio Times that it wasn't painful.
See below for the publics reaction on David Dimbleby's scorpion tattoo on Twitter.
Dimbleby follows the trend for older people to get tattoos set by Lady Steel who got a pink jaguar tattooed on her shoulder in 2012 as a 70th birthday present to herself. So why do we still associate tattoos with young people, the rebellious youths of today?
After all, you're only old once.
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