Broadcaster David Dimbleby has revealed that he has got his first tattoo - at the age of 75.

The Question Time presenter said he had a "modest" image of a scorpion tattooed on his right shoulder.

Referring to singer Cheryl Cole's tattoo on her bottom, he said he "wasn't tempted to have any private parts decorated".

But Dimbleby said he was delighted with the result.

He said: "You are only old once. I have always wanted a tattoo. I thought I might as well have it done now. It's a dream come true for me."

Dimbleby got the tattoo while making the series Britain And The Sea, set for broadcast later this month.He was offered the chance to have his own piece of body art while looking at how tattoos were introduced to the UK.

He turned down the offer, thinking he was too old, and had a mark put on his body in black pencil instead. But Dimbleby said: "When I saw it in a preview of the film I thought, 'That's a bit feeble'. I thought it was wimpish having it just drawn on and I needed to man up."

Followed by cameramen, he visited the Vagabond tattoo studio in east London.

He said: "It took about 30 minutes - an hour in all - and I thought of Winston Churchill having his done while mine was being done. It wasn't painful, it just zings a bit.".

Dimbleby chose the scorpion because Scorpio is his star sign.