Bill Gates to Deliver Prestigious Annual BBC One Lecture

LONDON – Bill Gates is booked to deliver BBC One's annual Richard Dimbleby lecture Jan. 29.

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The Microsoft co-founder joins a roster of big names who have given the prestigious lecture including Bill Clinton, global-selling author Terry Pratchett and Helmut Schmidt, the former German chancellor.

Scheduled for Jan. 29, Gates will address how to ensure that every child has a chance of leading a healthy and productive life.

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Since the launch of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates has become a leading figure on the international development stage, seeking solutions to extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries.

Driven by the belief that every life has equal value, the foundation has invested more than $25 billion in grants since its inception.

This year, broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby (son of the late British journalist Richard) will host the event, the 37th lecture in the series. He described Gates as one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and most generous philanthropists.

"In our troubled times, it is fantastic news that he has agreed to deliver this year’s Richard Dimbleby Lecture," he observed.

The transmission details of the lecture will be announced in January.

The televised lecture was commissioned by BBC One controller Danny Cohen and Jan Younghusband, commissioning editor for music and events.

It will be executive produced by Claire Popplewell and produced by Catherine Stirk for BBC Events.