David Attenborough turns 100 at present, Friday 8 Might, and Britain is honoring its favourite broadcaster, naturalist and environmental activist by quite a lot of occasions and public expressions of reward.
Hundreds of thousands of viewers tune in to applications throughout a number of channels detailing his exceptional profession, which has spanned greater than 70 years of devoted service to informing the general public in regards to the pure world.
Viewers younger and outdated will share private tales about how his distinctive narration has modified their understanding of wildlife and their worth.
Tributes to the centenarian are coming from all around the world.
Members of the royal household have joined the general public in thanking Sir David Attenborough for his excellent lifetime achievements. Prince William delivered a private greeting, and the King and Queen thanked Prince William for all he has accomplished for them.
Within the audio recording, Mr Attenborough expresses how overwhelmed he’s by the outpouring of goodwill he has acquired from preschoolers and care dwelling residents throughout the nation.
The BBC has organized a particular live performance on the Royal Albert Corridor to rejoice this milestone birthday in type.
Glad one hundredth Birthday Sir David Attenborough 🎉❤️
A broadcaster that modified the best way we see the pure world.#David Attenborough pic.twitter.com/aBEOX2xbvq
— BBC London (@BBCLondonNews) Might 8, 2026
Childhood episodes that formed his path
As a boy, David Attenborough began supplying newts to Leicester College’s zoology division for 3p every as a strategy to earn some more money.
His dad and mom took in two Jewish refugee sisters who had fled Nazi Germany and cared for them of their household dwelling for seven years.
As a boy, Attenborough found ammonite fossils when he broke open a rock whereas exploring. This occasion sparked his early curiosity in pure historical past.
Habits and habits that aren’t typically mentioned
Arguably one of the crucial well-traveled Britons of all time, Attenborough by no means truly discovered to drive, regardless of spending most of his life touring to far-flung locations filming wildlife documentaries.
Surprisingly, of all of the animal kingdom, rats scare him probably the most. In a single incident within the Solomon Islands, rats ran throughout his mattress and the ground of his hut throughout a extreme thunderstorm.
His dwelling has been dwelling to quite a lot of wildlife through the years, together with gibbons, chimpanzees, lemurs, snakes, and chameleons who often keep as short-term friends.
Innovation and lasting honor in tv
Sir David Attenborough responds to greetings on his one hundredth birthday pic.twitter.com/NYCx6sKCBc
— Unbiased (@Unbiased) Might 7, 2026
Attenborough joined the BBC with out even proudly owning a tv and had solely ever watched one program in his life.
At one level, he promoted snooker broadcasts to successfully introduce shade tv to British viewers, because the colourful balls helped reveal the advantages of the brand new format.
Dozens of vegetation, frogs, and different creatures have scientific names that honor his accomplishments in pure historical past and his efforts to doc species from all over the world.
All through his lengthy profession, Attenborough is the one particular person to win a BAFTA for applications produced in black and white, shade, excessive definition and 3D codecs.
A heritage that evokes motion in the direction of nature
Packages from his in depth catalog might be aired as soon as once more, and a brand new retrospective examines his childhood inspirations and the lesser-known skills that drove him. Followers all over the world keep in mind how his storytelling impressed them to cherish and shield the pure world of their each day lives.
A newly recognized parasitic wasp found in Chile has acquired a reputation related to Attenborough in honor of his lifetime achievements within the pure sciences.
His voice and keenness for the setting continues to encourage individuals of all ages to take sensible steps in the direction of conservation and sustainability, wherever they dwell.
Sir David Attenborough, maybe probably the most celebrated, most cherished and of all Britons, we salute you on this auspicious day of your one hundredth birthday.
