Sir David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough at the official opening of the Weston Library, Oxford, England, in March 2015. Ovenden awarded the Bodley Medal to Hawking and Attenborough as part of the ceremony.John Cairns via Wikimedia Commons

“Kids understand the natural world and the fascination... So, the question is, how did you lose it? How did anyone lose that interest in nature?” Sir David Attenborough once asked.[1] Now ninety-eight years old, Attenborough has the same passion for the natural world as he did some ninety years ago, and he has dedicated his life to fostering that same passion in others. A television broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, and author, Sir David Attenborough is beloved by millions and considered one of Britain’s national treasures.

Early Life

David Attenborough was born on May 8^th, 1926, in Middlesex, England. David’s father Frederick was the principal of College House at the University of Leicester and David spent much of his time during childhood surrounded by academia. From a young age, he collected fossils and stones and was encouraged when Jacquetta Hawkes (an English archaeologist and the first woman to study Archaeology & Anthropology at the University of Cambridge) admired his collection. Attenborough received a scholarship to study zoology and geology at Clare College, Cambridge in 1945. Two years later, he was called up for national service in the Royal Navy.[2]

Beginnings at the BBC

Upon leaving the Navy, Attenborough got a job in publishing editing children’s science textbooks, though he soon became bored. He applied for a job in radio with the BBC and, though he was rejected at first, he was later asked to join the BBC’s Talks department. At the time, most Britons did not own televisions—Attenborough himself had only seen one television program in his life when he started working for the BBC!

Attenborough’s love of nature heavily influenced his work at the BBC. One of his earliest projects was Animal Patterns, a three-part series in which Julian Huxley detailed various animals from the London Zoo. Though the content that Huxley presented was interesting, Attenborough felt that the format of the show lacked adventure and excitement.[3] He felt that audiences would be more engaged if the crew took the cameras outside of the studio and captured footage of the animals in their natural habitat. Before long, Attenborough had created Zoo Quest, a show in which a camera crew accompanied a team from London Zoo whilst they caught animals to place in the zoo.[4]

Rising Through the Ranks at the BBC 

During his time at the BBC, David Attenborough made significant changes to increase viewership and keep audiences engaged. In March 1965, he became the Controller of BBC Two and was challenged with improving the channel and increasing its popularity. He added a wide range of programs to the channel, including snooker. As technology advanced, making color television possible, Attenborough quickly capitalized on the technology and used snooker (a sport involving multiple balls of different colors) to highlight the possibilities that color television brought. He commissioned numerous different programs, many of which focused on the natural world. By 1969, however, his role had largely changed, and he was becoming less and less involved in making the programs. In 1972, after serving three years as the BBC’s Director of Programs, Attenborough was approached regarding the role of Director-General of the BBC. However, he decided against taking the position, enabling him to focus on the work he loved most: making television programs about nature.[5]

Wildlife Documentaries and Environmental Advocacy  

Once he had stepped down as Director of Programs at the BBC, Attenborough became dedicated to the creation of wildlife documentaries. He has been involved in the creation of more than one hundred documentaries, many of which have received critical acclaim. One of his most famous works, The Life Collection, is made up of nine television series released over a period of almost thirty years.

Over the years, Attenborough’s works have been increasingly focused on the detrimental impact that humans are having on the natural world, calling audiences to action.[6] In several projects such as Our Planet, Climate Change—The Facts, and Extinction: The Facts, Attenborough has detailed the grave need for humans to prioritize the protection and restoration of the environment. However, he remains acutely focused on spreading hope for the future. The final episode of Attenborough’s BBC series Planet Earth III (2023) titled ‘Heroes,’ highlights several individuals from across the globe fighting to save the planet and the wildlife we share it with, emphasising the positive impact that humans can have. Addressing an audience at the opening ceremony of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2021 (COP26), Attenborough shared another message of both urgency and hope:

If working apart we are a force powerful to destabilise our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it. In my lifetime I've witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery.[7]

Ocean

On May 8^th, 2025—his ninety-ninth birthday—Attenborough’s latest feature-length film, David Attenborough: Ocean, is set to be released in the UK. Attenborough believes it is “one of the most important films of his career,”[8] as it highlights (in no uncertain terms) the need for us to save the oceans if we are to save ourselves. "After almost 100 years on the planet,” he said, “I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea."[9]

Watch the trailer for David Attenborough: Ocean below.

Conclusion

Sir David Attenborough is much more than television broadcaster. Over his career spanning more than sixty years, he has created a groundbreaking body of work which has not only educated but inspired action across the globe. He has not only shared the beauty of life on Earth with his audiences, but the pressing need to protect it. On his ninety-ninth birthday, The MY HERO Project celebrates his extraordinary legacy, strengthening humanity’s connection to the planet and reminding us all of our shared responsibility to protect it into the future.

[1] Bootstrap. David Attenborough: An Extraordinary Life. [Online] Available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX69fd14_w8. 2020.

[2] "Sir David Attenborough – Naturalist". BBC. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Bootstrap, 2020.

[5] BBC, 2012.

[6] BBC. Sir David Attenborough to present climate change documentary [Online] Available https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47666007. 2019.

[7] BBC. COP26: David Attenborough says world is looking to leaders [Online] Available https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59125138. 2021.

[8] Hutchins, Rob. At 99, David Attenborough shares strongest message for the ocean [Online] Available https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/at-99-david-attenborough-shares-strongest-message-for-the-ocean/. 2025.

[9] Rowlatt, Justin. Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told' [Online] Available https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0wjxg0ex1o. 2025.