London, United Kingdom. British broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough will celebrate his 100th birthday on Friday after a career spanning more than 70 years of filmmaking. His distinctive narration has made him a widely recognised voice on the natural world and environmental protection.
Decades in broadcasting and environmental advocacy
Attenborough’s documentaries have been watched by hundreds of millions, and his voice has become closely associated with nature storytelling. He has continued to work in recent years and has remained involved in efforts to protect the environment.
He has been admired by figures including Britain’s royal family, former U.S. President Barack Obama and pop star Billie Eilish. In 2019, Queen Elizabeth said: “Your ability to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of our natural environment remains unequalled.”
Notable scenes and stories from his films
Attenborough’s films have depicted both the wonders and the tragedies of the natural world for audiences worldwide. Among the best-known scenes is his encounter with two young mountain gorillas that climbed onto him during his 1979 series “Life on Earth”.
Other moments include footage of a pod of orcas working together to hunt a seal by creating waves to break up ice. In 2012, he told the story of “Lonesome George,” the last surviving Pinta Island tortoise.
“He’s about 80 years old, and getting a bit creaky in his joints – as indeed am I,” Attenborough said at the time, then aged 86. George died two weeks after he was filmed, marking the extinction of his species.
Which David Attenborough documentary moment has stayed with you the most?
