Films david attenborough biography

British broadcaster and naturalist (born )

"Sir David Attenborough" redirects all round. For the Antarctic research boat, see RRS Sir David Attenborough.

Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; indigenous 8 May ) is fine British broadcaster, biologist, natural chronicler, and writer.

He is total known for writing and awarding, in conjunction with the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, grandeur nine nature documentary series construction the Life collection, a in good health survey of animal and scatter life on Earth.

Attenborough was a senior manager at probity BBC, having served as person of BBC Two and administrator of programming for BBC Demand in the s and relentless.

First becoming prominent as jam of Zoo Quest in , his filmography as writer, front and narrator has spanned have a bearing decades; it includes Natural World, Wildlife on One, the Planet Earth franchise, The Blue Planet and its sequel. He denunciation the only person to be blessed with won BAFTA Awards in coalblack and white, colour, high-definition, 3D and 4K resolution.

Over monarch life he has collected lots of honorary degrees and distinction, including three Emmy Awards presage Outstanding Narration.

While Attenborough's at one time work focused primarily on birth wonders of the natural existence, his later work has antique more vocal in support go along with environmental causes.

He has advocated for restoring planetary biodiversity, modification population growth, switching to renewable energy, mitigating climate change, dropping meat consumption, and setting salt away more areas for natural keeping. On his broadcasting and persuasion for nature, NPR stated Attenborough "roamed the globe and mutual his discoveries and enthusiasms grow smaller his patented semi-whisper way promote narrating".^[2] He is widely thoughtful a national treasure in nobility UK, although he himself does not embrace the term.^[3][4][5]

Life president family

David Frederick Attenborough was best on 8 May in Isleworth, Middlesex,^[6][7] and grew up obligate College House on the highbrow of the University of City, where his father, Frederick, was principal.^[8] He is the mid of three sons; his veteran brother, Richard, became an theatrical and director, and his minor brother, John, was an be bothered at the Italian car industrialist Alfa Romeo.^[9] During the Next World War, through a Island volunteer network known as representation Refugee Children's Movement, his parents also fostered two Jewish runaway girls from Germany.^[10]

Attenborough spent circlet childhood collecting fossils, stones, keep from natural specimens.^[11] He received defense when a young Jacquetta Hawkes admired his collection.^[12] He drained much time in the yard of the university.

Aged clutch 11, he heard that rank zoology department needed a supple supply of newts, which appease offered through his father be in breach of supply for 3d each. Decency source, which he did turn on the waterworks reveal at the time, was a pond adjacent to glory department.^[13] A year later, fillet adoptive sister Marianne gave him a piece of amber with prehistoric creatures; some sixty period later, it would be birth focus of his programme The Amber Time Machine.^[14]

In , Attenborough and his brother Richard abounding a lecture by Grey Echo (Archibald Belaney) at De Earl Hall, Leicester, and were swayed by his advocacy of repair.

According to Richard, David was "bowled over by the man's determination to save the castor, by his profound knowledge help the flora and fauna cut into the Canadian wilderness and through his warnings of ecological irritant should the delicate balance amidst them be destroyed. The given that mankind was endangering area by recklessly despoiling and faulty its riches was unheard rule at the time, but hit the ceiling is one that has remained part of Dave's own creed to this day."^[15] In , Richard directed a biopic curst Belaney entitled Grey Owl.^[16]

Attenborough was educated at Wyggeston Grammar Institute for Boys in Leicester.^[17] Explicit won a scholarship to Instruct College, Cambridge in to memorize geology and zoology and acquired a degree in natural sciences.^[18] In , he was hailed up for national service thorough the Royal Navy and burnt out two years stationed in Northerly Wales and the Firth outline Forth.^[12] In , Attenborough marital Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel.

Grandeur couple had two children, Parliamentarian and Susan. Jane died imprison ^[19] Robert is a superior lecturer in bioanthropology for depiction School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National Habit in Canberra.^[20][21] Susan is unembellished former primary school headmistress.^[17]

Attenborough abstruse a pacemaker fitted in June as well as a duplicated knee replacement in ^[22] Wellheeled September , he commented: "If I was earning my way by hewing coal I would be very glad indeed scolding stop.

But I'm not. I'm swanning round the world eyecatching at the most fabulously evocative things. Such good fortune."^[23]

Career

Early seniority at the BBC

After leaving illustriousness navy, Attenborough took a hint editing children's science textbooks receive a publishing company.

He erelong became disillusioned with the exertion and in applied for undiluted job as a radio cajole producer with the BBC.^[24] Notwithstanding he was rejected for that job, his CV later into the interest of Mary President, head of the Talks (factual broadcasting) department of the BBC's fledgling television service.^[25] Attenborough, love most Britons at that ahead, did not own a urgency, and he had seen lone one programme in his life.^[26]

He accepted Adams' offer of spiffy tidy up three-month training course.

In without fear joined the BBC full-time. At the start discouraged from appearing on camera because Adams thought his empower were too big,^[24] he became a producer for the Meeting department, which handled all non-fiction broadcasts. His early projects charade the quiz show Animal, Flower, Mineral? and Song Hunter, top-notch series about folk music debonair by Alan Lomax.^[24]

Attenborough's association strip off natural history programmes began conj at the time that he produced and presented integrity three-part series Animal Patterns. Birth studio-bound programme featured animals shun London Zoo, with the preservationist Julian Huxley discussing their stop off of camouflage, aposematism and wooing displays.

Through this programme, Attenborough met Jack Lester, the keeper of the zoo's reptile detached house, and they decided to fake a series about an animal-collecting expedition. The result was Zoo Quest, first broadcast in , where Attenborough became the compere at short notice due adjoin Lester being taken ill.^[27]

In , the BBC Natural History Constituent was formally established in Metropolis.

Attenborough was asked to marry it, but declined, not hope to move from London in he and his young cover were settled. Instead, he cluedup his own department, the Interchange and Exploration Unit,^[28] which legal him to continue to innovation Zoo Quest as well chimpanzee produce other documentaries, notably dignity Travellers' Tales and Adventure series.^[28] In the early s, Attenborough resigned from the permanent pikestaff of the BBC to read for a postgraduate degree emergence social anthropology at the Writer School of Economics, interweaving crown study with further filming.^[29] Yet, he accepted an invitation harm return to the BBC importance controller of BBC Two at one time he could finish the degree.^[30]

BBC administration

Attenborough became Controller of BBC Two in March , undermentioned Michael Peacock.^[31] He had fastidious clause inserted in his deal that would allow him stunt continue making programmes on finish occasional basis.

Later the by a long way year he filmed elephants hoax Tanzania, and in he bound a three-part series on character cultural history of the Asian island of Bali. For prestige film A Blank on excellence Map, he joined the have control over Western expedition to a doubtful highland valley in New Fowl to seek out a misplaced tribe.^[32]

BBC Two was launched stress , but had struggled figure out capture the public's imagination.

In the way that Attenborough arrived as controller, without fear quickly abolished the channel's way-out kangaroo mascot and shook confuse the schedule. With a employment to make BBC Two's harvest diverse and different from go off at a tangent offered by other networks, appease began to establish a binder of programmes that defined rectitude channel's identity for decades maneuver come.

Under his tenure, theme, the arts, entertainment, archaeology, theoretical comedy, travel, drama, sport, skill, science and natural history shy away found a place in honesty weekly schedules. Often, an discriminatory mix was offered within smashing single evening's viewing. Programmes agreed commissioned included Man Alive, Call My Bluff, Chronicle, Match show evidence of the Day, The Old Pale Whistle Test, Monty Python's Fugacious Circus and The Money Programme.^[33] With the advent of cast television, Attenborough brought snooker appoint the BBC to show decency benefits of the format, likewise the sport uses coloured balls.^[34] The show – Pot Black – was later credited reach the boom of the amusement into the s.^[35]

One of crown most significant decisions was calculate order a part series trim down the history of Western correct, to show off the character of the new UHF astuteness television service that BBC Span offered.

Broadcast to universal applause in , Civilisation set class blueprint for landmark authored documentaries, which were informally known though "sledgehammer" projects.^[36][37] Others followed, containing Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent embodiment Man (also commissioned by Attenborough), and Alistair Cooke's America.

Attenborough thought that the story defer to evolution would be a unreserved subject for such a convoy. He shared his idea occur to Christopher Parsons, a producer have emotional impact the Natural History Unit, who came up with a dub Life on Earth and shared to Bristol to start premeditation the series.

Attenborough harboured undiluted strong desire to present illustriousness series himself, but this would not be possible so eke out a living as he remained in pure management post.^[38]

While in charge hill BBC Two, Attenborough turned have a siesta Terry Wogan's job application lowly be a presenter on prestige channel, stating that there weren't any suitable vacancies.

The hard already had an Irish hack, with Attenborough reflecting in "To have had two Irishmen award on BBC Two would control looked ridiculous. This is clumsy comment whatsoever on Terry Wogan's talents."^[39] Attenborough has also certain that he sanctioned the wiping of television output during that period to cut costs, counting a series by Alan Flier, which he later regretted.^[40]

In , Attenborough was promoted to principal of programmes, making him liable for the output of both BBC channels.^[41] His tasks, which included agreeing budgets, attending table meetings and firing staff, were now far removed from loftiness business of filming programmes.

Considering that Attenborough's name was being not obligatory as a candidate for high-mindedness position of Director-General of authority BBC in , he phoned his brother Richard to empty that he had no tendency for the job. Early distinction following year, he left king post to return to full-time programme-making, leaving him free persist at write and present the contrived natural history epic.^[11]

After his renunciation, Attenborough became a freelance journalist and started work on cap next project, a trip collision Indonesia with a crew depart from the Natural History Unit.

Endeavour resulted in the series Eastwards with Attenborough, which was like in tone to the a while ago Zoo Quest; the main view was the introduction of stain. Attenborough stated that he sought to work in Asia, due to previous nature documentaries had principally focused on Africa.^[42] That harvest, Attenborough was invited to brochure the Royal Institution Christmas Talk on The Language of Animals.^[43] After his work on Eastwards with Attenborough, he began slam work on the scripts expend Life on Earth.^[44]

Due to character scale of his ambition, excellence BBC decided to partner laughableness an American network to unexposed the necessary funding.

While integrity negotiations were proceeding, he pretended on a number of extra television projects. He presented clean series on tribal art (The Tribal Eye, ) and recourse on the voyages of recognition (The Explorers, ).^[44] He debonair a BBC children's series in re cryptozoology entitled Fabulous Animals (), which featured mythical creatures specified as mermaids and unicorns.^[45] Sooner, the BBC signed a co-production deal with Turner Broadcasting gain Life on Earth moved effect production in ^[46] In , he visited China and going round to the West for nobility first time about China's one-child policy.^[47]

Life series

See also: The Nation Collection

Beginning with Life on Earth in , Attenborough set volume creating a body of effort which became a benchmark come close to quality in wildlife film-making, opinion influenced a generation of docudrama film-makers.

The series established visit of the hallmarks of loftiness BBC's natural history output. Antisocial treating his subject seriously other researching the latest discoveries, Attenborough and his production team gained the trust of scientists, who responded by allowing him picture feature their subjects in top programmes.^[48]

Innovation was another factor invoice Life on Earth's success: pristine film-making techniques were devised go up against get the shots Attenborough called for, with a focus on goings-on and animals that were go from bad to worse till then unfilmed.

International disintegration travel enabled the series succumb to be devised so that Attenborough visited several locations around justness globe in each episode, on occasion even changing continents in susceptible sequence. Although appearing as influence on-screen presenter, he restricted wreath time on camera to net more time to his subjects.^[49]

Five years after the success funding Life on Earth, the BBC released The Living Planet.

That time, Attenborough built his array around the theme of biology, the adaptations of living effects to their environment. It was another critical and commercial attainment, generating huge international sales in the vicinity of the BBC. In , The Trials of Life completed representation original Life trilogy, looking turn-up for the books animal behaviour through the puzzle stages of life.^[51]

In the hard-hearted, Attenborough continued to use say publicly "Life" title for a cycle of authored documentaries.

In , he presented Life in dignity Freezer, the first television additional room to survey the natural wildlife of Antarctica. Although past hard retirement age, he then embarked on a number of make more complicated specialised surveys of the thrilling world, beginning with plants. They proved a difficult subject vindicate his producers, who had make deliver hours of television featuring what are essentially immobile objects.

The result was The Unauthorized Life of Plants (), which showed plants as dynamic organisms by using time-lapse photography prefer speed up their growth, post went on to earn topping Peabody Award.^[52]

Prompted by an fervid ornithologist at the BBC Innocent History Unit, Attenborough then malodorous his attention to birds.

Considerably he was neither a birdwatcher nor a bird expert, take steps decided he was better space to make The Life capacity Birds () on the subject matter of behaviour. The documentary furniture won a second Peabody Trophy haul the following year.^[53] The attach of the remaining "Life" collection was dictated by developments insipid camera technology.

For The Self-possessed of Mammals (), low-light present-day infrared cameras were deployed traverse reveal the behaviour of hours of darkness mammals. The series contains shipshape and bristol fashion number of memorable two shots of Attenborough and his subjects, which included chimpanzees, a disclosure whale and a grizzly bring in. Advances in macro photography sense it possible to capture prestige natural behaviour of very squat creatures for the first again and again, and in , Life advance the Undergrowth introduced audiences get rid of the world of invertebrates.^[54]

At that point, Attenborough realised that noteworthy had spent 20 years idly assembling a collection of programmes on all the major assemblages of terrestrial animals and plants – only reptiles and amphibians were missing.

When Life gratify Cold Blood was broadcast buy , he had the gratification of completing the set, bowled over together in a DVD miracle called Life on Land. Recognized commented: "The evolutionary history decline finished. The endeavour is draw to a close. If you'd asked me 20 years ago whether we'd designate attempting such a mammoth dividend, I'd have said 'Don't take off ridiculous!' These programmes tell dialect trig particular story and I'm tablet others will come along become more intense tell it much better best I did, but I come undone hope that if people look after it in 50 years' in advance, it will still have view to say about the earth we live in."^[55]

However, in Attenborough asserted that his First Life – dealing with evolutionary chronicle before Life on Earth – should be included within depiction "Life" series.

In the flick Attenborough's Journey, he stated, "This series, to a degree which I really didn't fully value until I started working foil it, really completes the set."^[56]

Beyond Life on Earth

Alongside the Life series, Attenborough continued to see to on other television documentaries, particularly in the natural history kidney.

He wrote and presented topping series on man's influence inveigle the natural history of influence Mediterranean Basin, The First Eden, in Two years later, powder demonstrated his passion for fossils in Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives.^[57] In , he worked internment the BBC's Prisoners of Conscience series where he highlighted greatness case of the Sudanese versifier Mahjoub Sharif.^[58]

Attenborough narrated every adventure of Wildlife on One, precise BBC One wildlife series focus ran for episodes between subject At its peak, it histrion a weekly audience of be relevant to ten million, and leadership episode "Meerkats United" was favorite the best wildlife documentary enjoy all time by BBC viewers.^[59] He has narrated over 50 episodes of Natural World, BBC Two's flagship wildlife series.

University teacher forerunner, The World About Us, was created by Attenborough sheep , as a vehicle misunderstand colour television.^[60] In , stylishness narrated the BBC Wildlife Specials, each focussing on a hypnotic species, and screened to impression the Natural History Unit's Fortieth anniversary.^[61]

As a writer and reporter, Attenborough continued to collaborate examine the BBC Natural History Detachment in the new millennium.

Alastair Fothergill, a senior producer implements whom Attenborough had worked take hold of The Trials of Life meticulous Life in the Freezer, was making The Blue Planet (), the Unit's first comprehensive followers on marine life.^[62] He definite not to use an on-screen presenter due to difficulties hem in speaking to a camera rebuke diving apparatus, but asked Attenborough to narrate the films.

Primacy same team reunited for Planet Earth (), the biggest field documentary ever made for mill and the first BBC flora and fauna series to be shot birth high definition.^[63]

In , Attenborough co-wrote and narrated Life, a ten-part series focussing on extraordinary beast behaviour,^[64] and narrated Nature's Ready to go Events, which showed how intermittent changes trigger major natural spectacles.^[65] In January , the BBC commissioned Attenborough to provide smart series of 20 ten-minute monologues covering the history of separate.

Entitled David Attenborough's Life Stories, they were broadcast on Televise 4 on Friday nights.^[66]

In , Fothergill gave Attenborough a betterquality prominent role in Frozen Planet, a major series on honesty natural history of the icy regions; Attenborough appeared on room divider and authored the final event, in addition to performing voiceover duties.

Attenborough introduced and narrated the Unit's first 4K arrange Life Story. For Planet Blue planet II (), Attenborough returned variety narrator and presenter, with influence main theme music composed make wet Hans Zimmer.^[67][68]

In October , honesty corporation announced a trio spend new one-off Attenborough documentaries kind part of a raft shambles new natural history programmes.

"Attenborough's Paradise Birds" and "Attenborough's Grand Birds" was shown on BBC Two and "Waking Giants", which follows the discovery of tall dinosaur bones in South Usa, aired on BBC One.^[69] Representation BBC also commissioned Atlantic Plant to make a three-part, Attenborough-fronted series Great Barrier Reef now The series marked the Tenth project for Attenborough and Ocean, and saw him returning itch a location he first filmed at in ^[70][71]

On radio, Attenborough has continued as one holiday the presenters of BBC Televise 4's Tweet of the Day, which began a second program in September ^[72] Attenborough imitative a partnership with Sky, running on documentaries for the broadcaster's new 3D network, Sky 3D.

Their first collaboration was Flying Monsters 3D, a film feel about pterosaurs which debuted on Yule Day of ^[73] A on top film, The Penguin King 3D, followed a year later. Wreath next 3D project, Conquest allude to the Skies, made by class team behind the BAFTA in first place David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive, aired on Sky 3D during Christmas ^[74]

Attenborough has narrated three series of David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities for UKTV trench Watch, with the third additional room showing in He has further narrated A majestic celebration: Unbroken Karnataka, India's first blue-chip magical history film, directed by Kalyan Varma and Amoghavarsha.^[75]Blue Planet II was broadcast in , take out Attenborough returning as presenter.^[76] Depiction series was critically acclaimed direct gained the highest UK examination figure for of &#;million.^[77][78] Position series is thought to imitate triggered a long-lasting increase guaranteed public, media and political interest to plastic pollution.^[79][80] Attenborough narrated the five-part series Dynasties, inculcate episode dealing with one kind in particular.^[81][82] In , flair presented the three-part series Attenborough's Life in Colour,^[83] and The Mating Game, a five-part series.^[84]

Attenborough returned to prehistoric life examine Dinosaurs: The Final Day spreadsheet Prehistoric Planet aired in Apr and May respectively.

Environmentalist advocacy

By the turn of the millenary, Attenborough's authored documentaries were adopting a more overtly environmentalist standpoint. In State of the Planet (), he used the new scientific evidence and interviews organize leading scientists and conservationists form assess the impact of human being activities on the natural earth.

He later turned to honourableness issues of global warming (The Truth about Climate Change, ) and human population growth (How Many People Can Live crew Planet Earth?, ). He spontaneous a programme which highlighted influence plight of endangered species nip in the bud the BBC's Saving Planet Earth project in , the Ordinal anniversary of the Natural Account Unit.^[85][86]

In , Attenborough narrated Our Planet, an eight-part documentary lean-to, for Netflix.^[87] In contrast solve much of his prior business for the BBC, this mound emphasised the destructive role see human activities throughout the rooms.

Before, he would often interlude concerns in a final group of the work. He as well narrated Wild Karnataka, a flick about the Karnataka forest area.^[89] In , Attenborough's one-off skin documentary about climate change redundant BBC One called Climate Chinwag – The Facts was aired; the tone of the flick was significantly graver than earlier work for the BBC.^[90][91] That was followed by Extinction: Blue blood the gentry Facts, which is partly family circle on the IPBESreport on magnanimity decline of biodiversity.^[92][93]

In , Attenborough narrated the documentary film David Attenborough: A Life on Fade away Planet.

The film acts rightfully Attenborough's witness statement, reflecting doable his career as a biologist and his hopes for say publicly future.^[94] It was released gesticulation Netflix on 4 October ^[95] Further work for Netflix includes the documentary titled Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet, released on 4 June ^[96] In October , Attenborough began filming in Cambridge for The Green Planet.^[97] In , Attenborough narrated A Perfect Planet, swell five-part earth science series transport BBC One.^[98]

Attenborough was a even figure in the build-up side the United Nations Climate Exchange Conference (COP26), and gave exceptional speech at the opening ceremony.^[99] In his speech he affirmed that humans were "the longest problem solvers to have ingenious existed on Earth" and rundle of his optimism for greatness future, finishing by saying "In my lifetime I've witnessed out terrible decline.

In yours, support could and should witness copperplate wonderful recovery."^[]

In , the Concerted Nations Environment Programme recognised Attenborough as a Champion of birth Earth "for his dedication memo research, documentation, and advocacy receive the protection of nature president its restoration".^[][]

Views and advocacy

Environment

Attenborough's programmes have often included references accost the impact of human homeland on the natural world.

Interpretation last episode of The Years Planet, for example, focuses seemingly entirely on humans' destruction acquisition the environment and ways prowl it could be stopped outfit reversed. Despite this, he has been criticised for not coarse enough prominence to environmental messages. In while promoting Dynasties, powder said that repeated messages have a feeling threats to wildlife in scheduling could be a "turn-off" do viewers.^[]

Some environmentalists feel that programmes like Attenborough's give a wrong picture of idyllic wilderness extort do not do enough switch over acknowledge that such areas second-hand goods increasingly encroached upon by humans.^[][][][] However, the increased urgency expend environmental messaging in films much as Extinction: The Facts, which depicts the continuing sixth fire extinction,^[]Climate Change – The Facts and A Life on Address Planet from and received praise.^[][][][] In Seven Worlds, One Planet, Attenborough discusses the devastating power that deforestation is having vindication the planet and the species.^[]

In and , Attenborough backed exceptional BirdLife International project to tilt back the killing of albatross preschooler longline fishing boats.^[] He gave support to WWF's campaign take home have ,&#;square kilometres of Borneo's rainforest designated a protected area.^[] He serves as a impresario of The Conservation Volunteers,^[] the man of Fauna and Flora International,^[] president of Butterfly Conservation^[] abide president emeritus of Leicestershire settle down Rutland Wildlife Trust.^[]

In , Attenborough launched an appeal on gain of the World Land Pooled money to create a rainforest consider in Ecuador in memory decay Christopher Parsons, the producer healthy Life on Earth and precise personal friend, who had mind-numbing the previous year.^[] The assign year, he helped to set out ARKive,^[] a global project instigated by Parsons to gather assemble natural history media into elegant digital library.

ARKive is want initiative of Wildscreen, of which Attenborough is a patron.^[] Significant later became patron of depiction World Land Trust. In , he backed a Fauna put forward Flora International campaign calling tabloid a global moratorium on wide sea mining for its contusion on marine life.^[]

During the COVID pandemic, Attenborough advocated on advantage of the Zoological Society have a high regard for London (ZSL) and its running efforts, which have been wedged by the economic fallout deviate the pandemic.^[] In , Attenborough was named as a partaker of the Earthshot prize Council,^[] an initiative of Prince William to find solutions to environmental issues.^[][] He is a finance of the Friends of Richmond Park and serves on prestige advisory board of BBC Flora and fauna magazine.^[]

Attenborough was initially sceptical accident the human influence on indisposed change, and stated that clever lecture finally convinced him community were responsible.

He remained unspoken on the issue until ^[][] Attenborough attended and spoke presume COP26 as the "People's Advocate" for the event, and urged world leaders to act come into contact with reduce emissions.^[][] He supported Glyndebourne in their successful application more obtain planning permission for smashing wind turbine in an Universe of Outstanding Natural Beauty, pointer gave evidence at the make plans for inquiry arguing in favour company the proposal.^[] In his flick film David Attenborough: A Poised On Our Planet, Attenborough advocates for people to adopt a-one vegetarian diet or to abbreviate meat consumption to save flora and fauna, noting that "the planet can't support billions of meat-eaters."^[]

Human population

Attenborough has linked anthropogenic effects caution the environment with human populace growth.^[][][] He has attracted ban for his views on being overpopulation^[] and human population control.^[] He is a patron work Population Matters,^[] a UK permissiveness advocating for family planning, tolerable consumption and proposed sustainable being population.^[][] In a interview be in connection with the Radio Times, Attenborough ostensible humans as a "plague relay the Earth",^[][] and described significance act of sending food give a positive response famine-stricken countries as "barmy" courier population reasons.^[][] He called nurture more debate about human social order growth,^[] saying that since loosen up "first started making programmes 60 years ago, the human natives has tripled."^[]

According to Attenborough, on the mend women's rights around the field is an effective way "to limit our birth rate."^[] Forbidden said that "anyone who thinks that you can have measureless growth in a finite globe is either a madman be unhappy an economist."^[]

Religious views

Attenborough considers mortal physically an agnostic.^[] When asked inevitably his observation of the usual world has given him godliness in a creator, he in general responds with some version observe this story, making reference close by the Onchocerca volvulus parasitic worm:

My response is that what because Creationists talk about God creating every individual species as clever separate act, they always example hummingbirds, or orchids, sunflowers come to rest beautiful things.

But I play-act to think instead of copperplate parasitic worm that is completely through the eye of practised boy sitting on the camber of a river in Westmost Africa, [a worm] that's cosy to make him blind. Meticulous [I ask them], 'Are sell something to someone telling me that the Creator you believe in, who complete also say is an all-merciful God, who cares for contravention one of us individually, systematize you saying that God conceived this worm that can be real in no other way overrun in an innocent child's eyeball?

Because that doesn't seem promote to me to coincide with unadulterated God who's full of mercy'.^[]

He has explained that he feels the evidence all over illustriousness planet clearly shows evolution guard be the best way connection explain the diversity of man, and that "as far rightfully [he's] concerned, if there admiration a supreme being then bankruptcy chose organic evolution as expert way of bringing into animation the natural world".

In out BBC Four interview with Ask Lawson, he was asked supposing he at any time confidential any religious faith. He replied simply, "no".^[] He said "It never really occurred to defeat to believe in God".^[]

In , Attenborough joined an effort disrespect leading clerics and scientists succeed oppose the inclusion of creationism in the curriculum of UK state-funded independent schools which accept private sponsorship, such as honourableness Emmanuel Schools Foundation.^[] In , he stated that the Picture perfect of Genesis, by saying wind the world was there asset people to control, had categorical generations that they can "dominate" the environment, and that that has resulted in the carnage of vast areas of significance environment.

He further explained finish off the science journal Nature, "That's why Darwinism, and the detail of evolution, is of super importance, because it is desert attitude which has led know about the devastation of so ostentatious, and we are in character situation that we are in".^[]

Also in early , the BBC broadcast an Attenborough one-hour mediocre, Charles Darwin and the Shoetree of Life.

In reference essay the programme, Attenborough stated go "People write to me ditch evolution is only a belief. Well, it is not excellent theory. Evolution is as entire a historical fact as boss around could conceive. Evidence from all quarter. What is a speculation is whether natural selection survey the mechanism and the sole mechanism.

That is a opinion. But the historical reality go dinosaurs led to birds opinion mammals produced whales, that's weep theory."^[] He strongly opposes creationism and its offshoot "intelligent design", saying that the results emblematic a survey that found expert quarter of science teachers carry state schools believe that creationism should be taught alongside train in science lessons was "really terrible".^[]

In March , Attenborough arised on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

Attenborough stated that illegal felt evolution did not heart out the existence of clean up God and accepted the give a call of agnostic saying, "My consideration is: I don't know adjourn way or the other however I don't think that phylogeny is against a belief jammy God".^[]

Attenborough has joined the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and niche top scientists in signing unembellished campaign statement co-ordinated by birth British Humanist Association (BHA).

Say publicly statement calls for "creationism in be banned from the grammar science curriculum and for become to be taught more generally in schools".^[]

BBC and public unit broadcasting

Attenborough is a lifelong fellow traveller of the BBC, public instigate broadcasting and the television correctly. He has said that get out service broadcasting "is one pay money for the things that distinguishes that country and makes me pray to live here",^[] and believes that it is not reducible to individual programmes, but "can only effectively operate as first-class network [] that measures tutor success not only by hang over audience size but by position range of its schedule".^[]

magnanimity BBC per minute in fake every category is as worthless as you can find anyplace in the world and produces the best quality.

[] Greatness BBC has gone through considerable staff cuts. It has antiquated cut to the bone, hypothesize you divert licence fee currency elsewhere, you cut quality extremity services. [] There is dexterous lot of people who demand to see the BBC disabled. They talk of this bad tax of the licence costs. Yet it is the outstrip bargain that is going.

Quartet radio channels and god knows how many TV channels. Bring to a halt is piffling.^[]

Attenborough expressed the scrutinize that there had often archaic people wanting to remove honourableness BBC, adding "there's always antediluvian trouble about the licence ray if you dropped your custodian you could bet our spot on dollar there'd be plenty lacking people who'd want to petition it away.

The licence official group is the basis on which the BBC is based person in charge if you destroy it, revelation becomes a wasteland."^[] He explicit regret at some of rank changes made to the BBC in the s by well-fitting director-general, John Birt, who not native bizarre an internal market at picture corporation, slimmed and closed dehydrated departments and outsourced much discount the corporation's output to unofficial production companies.^[]

Although he said Birt's policies had poor results, Attenborough also acknowledged "the BBC difficult to understand to change."^[][] In , loosen up criticised the BBC's television schedules, positing that the two elder networks, BBC One and BBC Two – which Attenborough avowed were "first set up chimpanzee a partnership" – now "schedule simultaneously programmes of identical make-up, thereby contradicting the very tiff that the BBC was delineated a second network."^[]

Politics

In , Attenborough described himself as "a run of the mill, boring left-wing liberal" and spoken the view that the market-place economy was "misery".^[] In , Attenborough joined the rock guitarists Brian May and Slash remodel opposing the government's policy in line the cull of badgers access the UK by participating instruct in a song dedicated to badgers.^[] Attenborough was one of common figures who were signatories ought to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain excellence of the United Kingdom display the referendum on that issue.^[] Prior to the UK common election, Attenborough was one discount several celebrities who endorsed blue blood the gentry parliamentary candidacy of the Growing Party's Caroline Lucas.^[]

In a conversation, Attenborough criticised excess capitalism chimp a driver of ecological capriciousness, stating "the excesses the big cheese system has brought us, own got to be curbed somehow", and that "greed does scream actually lead to joy", though he added "That doesn't near to say that capitalism obey dead".^[] He also lamented prestige lack of international cooperation sanction climate change, and said "there should be no dominant kingdom on this planet."^[] In , Attenborough told the leaders living example the 47th G7 summit meander "tackling climate change was notify as much a political tricky as it was a methodical or technological one" and urged for more action.^[] Attenborough along with stated that "(we) are bullets the verge of destabilising high-mindedness entire planet."^[]

In , Attenborough was described by the New Statesman as a figure "invaluable put up the shutters green diplomacy" in the UK, placing him twenty-third in their list of Britain's most muscular left-wing figures, above many pick politicians.^[]

Achievements, awards and recognition

Attenborough's impost to broadcasting and wildlife film-making has brought him international do.

He has been called "the great communicator, the peerless educator"^[] and "the greatest broadcaster break into our time."^[] His programmes pronounce often cited as an instance of what public service interest group should be, even by critics of the BBC, and imitate influenced a generation of flora and fauna film-makers.^[]

Honorary titles

By January , Attenborough had collected 32 honorary ladder from British universities,^[] more caress any other person.^[][] In , he was honoured by greatness Open University, with which take action has had a close society throughout his career.

He has honorary Doctor of Science scale 1 from Durham University ()^[] final the University of Cambridge ()^[] and honorary Doctor of Position degrees from the University advice Oxford ()^[] and the Routine of Ghent ().^[]

In , glory two eldest Attenborough brothers common to their home city command somebody to receive the title of Momentous Honorary Fellows of the Institution of higher education of Leicester, "in recognition ensnare a record of continuing celebrated service to the University."^[] King Attenborough was previously awarded mainly honorary Doctor of Letters stage by the university in , and was made an gratuitous Freeman of the City make acquainted Leicester in In , type was made an Honorary Resident of the City of Bristol.^[] In , he was awarded Honorary Doctorates from Nelson Statesman Metropolitan University and Nottingham River University.^[][]

Attenborough has received the honour Honorary Fellow from Clare Institution, Cambridge (),^[] the Zoological Sing together of London (),^[] the Linnean Society (),^[] the Institute indifference Biology (Now the Royal Homeland of Biology) (),^[] and rendering Society of Antiquaries ().

Loosen up is Honorary Patron of integrity North American Native Plant Society^[] and was elected as dialect trig Corresponding Member of the Continent Academy of Science.^[]

Recognition

Attenborough has anachronistic featured as the subject pleasant a number of BBC cluster programmes.

Life on Air () examined the legacy of rule work, and Attenborough the Controller () focused on his halt in its tracks in charge of BBC Digit. He was also featured extremely in The Way We Went Wild (), a series make out natural history television presenters, squeeze Years of Wildlife Films (), a programme marking high-mindedness centenary of the nature picture.

In , British television listeners were asked to vote asset their Favourite Attenborough Moments idea a UKTV poll to go together with the broadcaster's 80th rite. The winning clip showed Attenborough observing the mimicry skills appreciated the superb lyrebird.^[]

Attenborough was styled the most trusted celebrity amuse the UK in a Reader's Digest poll,^[] and in illegal won The Culture Show's Soul Icon Award.^[] He has antediluvian named among the Greatest Britons in a BBC poll countryside is one of the go to town ten "Heroes of Our Time" according to New Statesman magazine.^[] In September , London's Thrilling History Museum opened the Attenborough Studio, part of its Naturalist Centre development.^[]

In , Attenborough was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Cock Blake to appear in a-okay new version of his uppermost famous artwork – the Beatles' Sgt.

Pepper's Lonely Hearts Cudgel Band album cover – do as you are told celebrate the British cultural poll of his life.^[] The changeless year, Attenborough featured in blue blood the gentry BBC Radio 4 series The New Elizabethans to mark decency diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. A panel of cardinal academics, journalists and historians known as him among the group bargain people in the UK "whose actions during the reign lacking Elizabeth II have had skilful significant impact on lives hutch these islands".^[]

A British polar evaluation ship was named RRS Sir David Attenborough in his concern.

While an Internet poll indicative of the name of the stoppage had the most votes staging Boaty McBoatface, the science line Jo Johnson said there were "more suitable names", and rank official name was eventually up from one of birth other more favoured choices. Even, one of its research sub-sea vehicles was named "Boaty" quandary recognition of the public vote.^[]

Attenborough is also recognised by Guinness World Records as having rank longest career as a commonplace historian and presenter in television.^[]

Species named after Attenborough

Main article: Notify of things named after Painter Attenborough and his works §&#;Taxonomy

At least 20 species and genera, both living and extinct, have to one`s name been named in Attenborough's honour.^[] Plants named after him incorporate an alpine hawkweed (Hieracium attenboroughianum) discovered in the Brecon Beacons,^[] a species of Ecuadorian bloom tree (Blakea attenboroughi), one succeed the world's largest-pitchered carnivorous plants (Nepenthes attenboroughii), along with clever genus of flowering plants (Sirdavidia).^[]

Several arthropods are named after Attenborough, including a butterfly, Attenborough's black-eyed satyr (Euptychia attenboroughi),^[] a odonate, Attenborough's pintail (Acisoma attenboroughi),^[] topping millimetre-long goblin spider (Prethopalpus attenboroughi), an ornate Caribbean smiley-faced failing (Spintharus davidattenboroughi),^[][] an Indonesian flightless weevil (Trigonopterus attenboroughi),^[][] a African ghost shrimp (Ctenocheloides attenboroughi), playing field a soil snail (Palaina attenboroughi).^[]

The MonogeneanCichlidogyrus attenboroughi, a parasite shun a deep-sea fish in Basin Tanganyika, may be the exclusive parasitic species named after him.^[] Several vertebrates have also bent named after Attenborough, including shipshape and bristol fashion Namibian lizard (Platysaurus attenboroughi),^[] unadorned bird (Polioptila attenboroughi),^[] a Peruvian frog (Pristimantis attenboroughi),^[] a African stump-toed frog (Stumpffia davidattenboroughi),^[] nearby one of only four individual of echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi).^[]

In , after discovering that the Era reptile Plesiosaurus conybeari did put together belong to the genus Plesiosaurus, the palaeontologist Robert Bakker renamed the species Attenborosaurus conybeari.^[] Smashing fossilised armoured fish discovered be pleased about Western Australia in was person's name Materpiscis attenboroughi, after Attenborough locked away filmed at the site stomach highlighted its scientific importance answer Life on Earth.

The Materpiscis fossil is believed to wool the earliest organism capable fair-haired internal fertilisation.^[]

In , a individual of tree from Gabon (in the Annonaceae family) SirdavidiaCouvreur & Sauquet was named with her highness title.^[]

A miniature marsupial lion, Microleo attenboroughi, was named in authority honour in ^[][] The square grasshopper Electrotettix attenboroughi was dubbed after Attenborough.

In March , a &#;million year old start crustacean was named after him. Called Cascolus ravitis, the regulate word is a Latin gloss of the root meaning be paid "Attenborough", and the second crack based on a description staff him in Latin.^[][] In July , the Caribbean bat Myotis attenboroughi was named after him.^[] A new species of fan-throated lizard from coastal Kerala operate southern India was named Sitana attenboroughii in his honour just as it was described in ^[]

In , a new species domination phytoplankton, Syracosphaera azureaplaneta, was forename to honour The Blue Planet, the TV documentary presented make wet Attenborough, and to recognise dominion contribution to promoting understanding allude to the oceanic environment.^[] The precise year, Attenborough was also move in the name of greatness scarab beetle Sylvicanthon attenboroughi.^[]

In , Nothobranchius attenboroughi, a brightly now seasonal fish species was ostensible in his honour.

This nature is endemic to Tanzania focus on it is known from passing pools and marshes associated shorten the Grumeti River and alcove small systems draining into Pond Victoria at the east cause of the lake, largely fundamentally the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The in short supply seasonal fish inhabit ephemeral habitats in freshwater wetlands and accept extreme life-history adaptations, having propose annual life cycle, a discolored adaptation to reproduce in birth seasonally arid savannah biome take precedence allowing the eggs to endure the periodic drying up expose the seasonal natural habitats.^[]

In phony extinct species of horseshoe shellfish was named Attenborolimulus superspinosus.^[][] In July , a fogy of a million-year-old creature given name Auroralumina attenboroughii, which researchers confide in to be the first creature predator, was named after Attenborough.^[]

Awards