Original subtitles

Hello and welcome to London's Royal Albert Hall. Tonight we have a very

evening of music and celebration in store. As you can see, well, all sorts

creatures have turned up and we are all here for one reason. Today is the 100th

birthday of, well, one of the most extraordinary people on the planet. And

tonight is all about celebrating the incredible life of the one and only Sir

David Attenborough.

I've been lucky enough to live through what well might be considered the golden

age of natural history filmmaking.

I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you.

Good evening and a very warm welcome to everyone joining us. The 5 ,000 people

here in the Royal Albert Hall and to all of you at home and thanks to the BBC

Concert Orchestra and to our wonderful animals, the herds, who work doing great

work around the world raising awareness for animal conservation.

We are, of course.

All here to celebrate the 100th birthday of a very special person. His passion

for nature has been thrilling audiences around the globe for over 70 years.

An unparalleled communicator, his knowledge and enthusiasm has changed the

we see the world, influenced generations of scientists and conservationists, and

inspired millions of us to care more for our precious planet.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in giving a huge birthday welcome to Sir

David Attenborough.

Can you feel the love? I have had the considerable pleasure of knowing David

a number of years. He's obviously a broadcaster of utter brilliance.

He will hate me saying that. Because not only is he a modest man, he's also full

of warmth and good humour.

And he wears his remarkable knowledge and superstar status very lightly

I was lucky enough to host the celebration of his 90th birthday. And

then... I pretty much thought that he'd be ready to put his feet up and enjoy a

few years of well -earned rest.

I was wrong.

In the last ten years, he has been busier than ever.

Over the last decade, Sir David has worked on over 18 landmark wildlife

In 2016, he crossed the globe for Planet Earth 2, using new camera technology to

bring us closer to animals and taking to the skies at the age of 90. It's

impossible not to be impressed by the sheer grandeur and splendor and power of

the natural world.

In 2017, David helped to spark a global movement against plastic pollution in

Blue Planet 2.

There were some pretty difficult scenes, but it shot so stunningly, told so

beautifully. It engages you and makes you feel that you can be part of the

solution.

At the age of 93, he travelled across multiple continents for seven worlds,

planet.

And in 2022, he revealed the secret lives of the plant world in the dream

planet.

I wouldn't dream of putting my hand anywhere near it without proper

Ow!

In Prehistoric Planet, David brought dinosaurs to life in painstaking detail

using cutting -edge visual effects.

He's moved through enormous technological changes, and yet he's

single one of them.

He's also been at the forefront of numerous scientific discoveries, from a

record -breaking dive on the Great Barrier Reef...

to uncovering new species from the ancient past.

My goodness, it's astonishing.

He's received 18 television awards, but he isn't even close to hanging up the

blue shirt.

He doesn't know the word, retire.

I've asked him and he said, no, what's that word? Never heard of it.

And it's a damn nuisance because all the restaurants who want to retire see

David there on the horizon.

We can't keep up.

Today, his curiosity and passion for the natural world remain as strong as ever.

It's still a huge thrill to see one suddenly emerging from the bushes.

So David's a reminder that you can be 100 years old and still be so fascinated

by nature.

And even in his 100th year, he is still making programmes that are watched and

loved by millions of us across the world.

What a decade. The man is unstoppable.

Well, as we saw from those moments.

Sir David is nature's greatest storyteller, championing the wonders and

importance of the natural world through landmark series like Planet Earth and

Blue Planet, programs packed full of stunning wildlife images captured using

cutting -edge technology.

Along with the pictures and David's distinctive presenting and commentary,

is another crucial element, the wonderful music. Some of the world's

celebrated composers, like George Fenton and Hans Zimmer, have written

soundtracks for these unforgettable scenes, reinforcing the awe and emotion

we see on screen. And so, as part of tonight's celebration, we've plenty of

wonderful music coming up, starting with a... song from Planet Earth 3, a

collaboration between Hans Zimmer and the chart -topping indie band Bastille.

please welcome from Bastille, Dan Smith and the BBC Concert Orchestra with

Pompeii.

To joy

And the

wolf kept tumbling down In the city that we love

Great clouds roll over the hills

Bringing darkness from above

But if you close your

eyes

Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all? And if you

close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been

here before?

How am I going to be an optimist about this?

How am I going to be an optimist about...

If you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing

changed at all?

And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like

you've been here before?

Oh, how I'm making it be an optimist about this.

How I'm making it be an optimist about this.

Well, thanks very much to the superb dance smith joined there by the

Choir conducted by Jerome Coon.

Turning hundreds is an extraordinary milestone for anyone. Here in the UK, of

course, there is a long -standing tradition that to mark the big occasion,

centenarian receives in the post a special birthday card from the monarch.

But when that person is David Attenborough, it seems fitting to go

mile.

Dear David, my wife and I are delighted to learn that you will

be celebrating your 100th birthday on May the 8th and wanted to send you our

warmest congratulations on such a special occasion.

It is amazing to think that you and I have known one another for more than 60

years.

Indeed, I believe we first met in 1958, almost a decade before

the age of colour television.

And, of course, our paths have crossed many times since.

Over those decades, you have revealed the beauty and wonders of nature to

audiences around the world.

in new and marvelous ways.

In so doing, you have shared my determination to highlight

the urgent need to protect and preserve this

precious planet of ours and all life on Earth for future

generations.

Thank you, then, for all that you have done.

On behalf of the whole nation, I wish you a very happy

100th birthday.

Today this could be the greatest day of all.

Before we run out of time.

Stay close to me.

Stay close to me.

Watch the world.

Tonight.

let's make a new start the future is ours to find

can you see it can you see

Now let's take a step back for a moment to the world in 1926.

The Charleston is in full swing, and the silent movies are all the rage at the

cinema. The future Elizabeth II is born too, and John Logie Baird gives the

first public demonstration of a working television.

In that same year, Frederick and Mary Attenborough welcome David, their second

son.

Kind of extraordinary that the birth of TV coincides exactly with the arrival of

the single human who would go on to use it with such mastery.

Now, growing up as a little boy in Leicestershire with his two brothers,

his earliest years, David's fascinated by the natural world. He spends hours

roaming the countryside on his little bike, searching for fossils and insects.

In the mid -1940s, teenage David wins a scholarship to study natural sciences at

Cambridge and later, in his early 20s, settles in London with his wife Jane and

their two young children.

Then, in 1952, the year Elizabeth II becomes Queen and Gene Kelly stars in

Singing in the Rain, David is offered a job as a trainee producer at the BBC in

what was then called the Talks Department.

making programmes about everything from current affairs and science to quizzes

and even knitting.

But David's passion for wildlife hasn't dimmed, and a chance comes up at work

for him to head off and explore the world, an opportunity that would change

course of his life forever.

In 1954, the BBC launched a groundbreaking television series.

ZooQuest followed expeditions around the world, organised by London zoos, to

film and collect animals, a common practice in the 1950s.

Collecting for zoos was very much part and parcel of academic, scientific,

zoological study.

The series brought to the screen places and animals that had never been seen

before.

was the dragon, the climax of four months of arduous travel.

Running for almost ten years and watched by millions of viewers across Britain,

ZooQuest became the most popular wildlife programme of its time.

It looked enormous, and from its size and markings, I was quite sure that it

a python.

and therefore non -poisonous, which was something of a relief.

Animals caught in the field were taken back to a live television studio.

Helping me control this python is Mr Len Warren from the Reptile House in the

London Zoo.

But David was never meant to be the star.

David wasn't initially supposed to be the presenter.

Tonight, we've got rather different programme for you.

He started out as the producer of New Quest.

But when the original presenter fell ill, David was asked to step in.

My boss said, well, Attenborough, you're the only other person who was there.

You'll go and do it.

Staff, no fee, he said, I remember, very quickly.

So I, quite unintentionally, I appeared on television.

That is the South American jungle as I first saw it.

Everybody realized pretty quickly it was a natural turn.

There was this magical quality that drew you in.

Now, could we see her?

Hello, Jane. Hello. Oh, bless you.

It's that innate passion and curiosity that makes him so compelling to watch.

Apart from lizards and chameleons, there were many other smaller, fascinating

creatures to be seen in that patch of forest.

Little did we know that David's chance appearance in these globetrotting

adventures would be the start of such an extraordinary career.

It was the beginning of 70 years of broadcasting.

This little fellow is newly hatched.

Just imagine if that presenter hadn't been ill, we may never have had David

the broadcaster.

That was the end of our Zoom quest.

Good night.

wildlife presenter, naturalist and author, Chris Packham, and wildlife

and conservationist, Anna Dimitriadis. Thank you both very much for joining me.

I think you were enjoying that piece of film as much as I was. Chris, first of

all to you, can you kind of contextualise for us what ZooQuest did

at home? I mean, it was all new, this stuff.

Well, look, Kirsty, it was 1954.

At that point, only 2 % of the UK public ever left the UK.

So we not only have to think of David at this point as a presenter, but also an

adventurer and an explorer.

And some of the places he visited, you couldn't book a biplane or a ferry.

It took an enormous amount of ingenuity, and it was somewhat dangerous. He was

fraternising with cannibals on some occasions.

But the mission was clear.

He wanted to bring that wildlife back to the UK audience. It was only one

channel, the wonderful BBC, but getting that...

back to the audience was tricky because they were working with this.

I mean, we look at it now, it looks so antediluvian, doesn't it? But at the

time, that was what they had.

Well, look, this is the sound recording device fresh from the Antiques Roadshow.

And frankly, it looks like it's been cobbled together in cold it, doesn't it?

have no idea how... I mean, it's heavy, unreliable and not terribly sensitive.

This was the camera that we were using. And this is a clockwork camera.

You wind it up. You wind it up, and as the mechanism unwinds, the film is drawn

through it.

Typically, of course, it finishes just before the animals start mating or

or something like that. I mean, it's almost impossible to look through. And,

course, it's film, inordinately expensive, which meant that poor David

a one -take wonder to do his pieces.

Just as well he was kids, right? Well, I mean, some of them were a little bit

ropey.

We'll gloss over that. Less polish.

Yes, less polish is nice. Anna, if I can come to you. You are a noted filmmaker.

You are working with the newest technology.

You have brought some of the newest technology along with you tonight. I

it's rare, it's expensive, it does clever stuff. Explain it to us, would

Yeah, so this is the actual camera that I use whilst filming Big Cat 24 -7. And

what's funny is seeing the size of this camera, because I thought that modern

cameras were supposed to be getting smaller.

But this one is, yeah, quite chunky.

But what it's doing is it is seeing heat rather than light.

So it means that when we're following big cats through the bush, we can see

maybe even before they've spotted it, which is remarkable. So I'm going to try

it out on you guys.

Wave, everyone.

The glasses crew looking brilliant.

Wow. So the whiter, the hotter.

So let's go up and see.

What's going on over here? Who have we got? Who have we got here?

Who's that? Hang on a sec.

Let's get you in focus. Who's that?

I know that face.

Is that Benedict?

That is a very, very famous actor, I believe.

You look quite hot.

I mean, we could go on for half an hour, but we can't go on for half an hour

because there's so much to fit in. I want to thank you both very much for

the time. That was fascinating.

And guess what? The technology worked.

Aren't we happy about that? We are. Thanks very much for joining us.

Now, back in his ZooQuest days, David wasn't just the producer, then presenter

on the programme. He was also the sound recordist.

And he travelled the world.

He'd get recordings then to use as background music in the film.

When he was shooting Zoo Quest in Paraguay, David was so captivated by the

music, he decided to use one particular piece as the theme tune for the series.

Pacarp Capana was named after the Paraguayan bellbird, a small but rather

little creature whose distinctive call resembles a bell ringing.

Well, David, as a little birthday gift, we are joined now by Francisco Iglesia

playing the Paraguayan harp with a special performance of the bell bird.

That was magical, wasn't it? Thank you to Francisco Iglesias.

Well, ZooQuest was David's first major series as a wildlife presenter, but his

success wasn't just on screen. He was at the same time enjoying a stellar rise

to the top of BBC management.

In 1965...

David became controller of a brand new channel, BBC Two, where he

broadcasting by introducing Europe's first colour television service.

Then, in 1969, he was promoted to director of programmes, meaning pretty

was in charge of all BBC TV's output.

At the same time, he commissioned landmark series, including Civilisation

Sense of Man, and launched the pioneering comedy show Monty Python's

Circus. But even though he was very good at all that management stuff, it wasn't

where his heart lay. And so in 1973, David chose once and for all to swap his

office suit for a safari suit.

Life on Earth was the first global wildlife series ever filmed in colour.

It was the most ambitious and most expensive natural history project of its

time. We set out to tell the greatest story in all the world, the history of

life, of evolution.

Over three years, David and the Life on Earth team covered a million miles,

visiting 40 countries and filming more than 600 species.

That series was groundbreaking.

He opens up the world of natural history to every single person.

It was full of behaviour, animals doing things that most people had no idea

about.

Everyone watched Life on Earth. It was just so vibrant and exciting.

It was the blockbuster that was on telly.

Worldwide, 500 million people tuned in.

There is, of course, one iconic sequence that has gone down in history.

And it is... The gorillas. The gorillas. The gorilla sequence.

Mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

Everyone remembers that.

With the help of the American conservationist Diane Fossey and her

crew were able to get close enough to film David with the gorillas.

There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance

gorilla than any other animal I know.

We see the world in the same way as they do.

And it's very, very rare that there is any violence within them.

So it seems really very unfair that man should have chosen the gorilla to

symbolise all that is aggressive and violent.

And that's the one thing that the gorilla is not, and that we are.

With David, there is an empathy with nature and creatures.

There's a real connection between him and what he's looking at.

The gorilla scene became something much more special and more magical than they

could ever have imagined.

I honestly don't know how long it was.

I was simply transported. I mean, it was extraordinary acceptance.

It's just so genuine.

It's just pure immersion.

Mary is...

grinning with pleasure.

That's what says it all. The fact that he's not intimidated, he's not scared,

he's laughing.

He's laughing because he's got a gorilla on his belly.

They've accepted him.

They've accepted him as one of them.

This remarkable encounter

transformed how people saw gorillas, revealing them as gentle, intelligent

creatures.

There will never be a theme like this again.

He is in heaven.

Extraordinary, really. I mean, it was one of the most privileged moments of

life.

I dream about it.

Truly astonishing footage. Well, the two young gorillas from that magical moment

were called Pablo and Poppy, and they went on to lead long lives and to have

families of their own. We have been sent an update on how the direct descendants

of those two youngsters are doing today.

Good, okay. My name is Felix Ndagijimana. I'm the director of the

Gorafan programs in Rwanda.

When David Attenborough visited in 1978, Pablo was about four years old,

and Poppy was around two years old.

Fifteen years after that encounter, Pablo went on to lead his own group, and

has become one of the longest -studied guerrilla families.

Pablo's closest living relatives are his son, Sibabak Ishavu, and four

grandchildren.

Poppy became the oldest female on record to give birth at 41 years old.

Poppy has three living daughters, seven grandchildren, and one

grand grandchild.

Mountain gorillas are one of the greatest conservation success stories.

In the 1980s, The mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Mountains was

than 250 individuals.

Now, their global number is estimated to be around 1 ,000 individual gorillas,

with roughly 600 in the Virunga Mountains.

And that really means that there's a strong genetic connection to the

that lived when David Attenborough visited in 1978.

Their population has steadily increased.

thanks to sustained efforts to study them, to protect them, and to conserve

their forest habitat.

Life on Earth raised awareness of mountain gorillas and changed the way

thought about them.

It was a key turning point in the gorilla's success story.

Well, that's wonderful news, isn't it? And, of course, important work by the

Diane Fossey Guerrilla Fund, and thanks, if you like, for that update there.

Well, David has visited every continent on the planet and must be one of, if not

the best -travelled person who has ever lived.

Joining us tonight is someone who's a... pretty close rival in that respect.

From their first meeting back in the early days of the BBC, the pair remain

friends to this day. Please welcome to the stage Sir Michael Palin.

Welcome.

So nice to see you.

So nice to see you.

I was going to say you've known David for a very long time, but that sounds a

little bit rude. You've known David for a long time.

Tell me about the first time you met.

Well, the first time, I mean, I never saw ZooQuest, which was a great worry

me, but my father wouldn't have a television.

He thought it was ungodly at the time. But anyway, later on, when David was in

control of programmes at the BBC, I met him at the BBC party and I was...

one of the Python team who were complaining about the fact the BBC

very badly and put us on late at night. And that was when David was the only

member of the BBC staff who actually confronted us. And I trotted out my sort

complaints. And he said, well, you know, taking it off and not seeing it, that's

the way a cult is made. He was right.

So we were a cult.

And as your friendships developed, and as I say, you're incredibly, of course,

from all your brilliant programs, very well -traveled yourself.

Is there any sort of sense of competition? I've been here, you've been

you haven't been there?

Oh, yeah. It was very competitive.

Really? David and I had books out about the same time. I think his was Life on

Air, and mine was something silly about going across the Pacific or something

like that.

And whenever we were together at book launches or book festivals, we'd always

compare figures. And David would say, how many have you seen?

I said, oh, five million last time.

Really?

David, you could lie to David very easily.

He was very sweet, just to get on board.

You said in that film, you said one of the things that is so powerful, and I

think probably it's something that we all recognise, is the connection.

with what he's talking about. That's, I think, one of the aspects that makes him

such an extraordinary broadcaster.

Well, he just looks as though he's happy to be there, and he wants to be there.

And he wants to meet these people, and he wants to see these animals.

It's not something he's been asked to do.

It's something which really fulfills him. And I suppose I feel the same when

travel. That's the whole point. The people you meet are what the programme

about. It's not about you.

It's really about the world as you see it.

Michael, I'm going to ask you to stay with us.

For David then, of course, travel meant venturing to the ends of the earth to

bring us footage that had never been filmed before. The trials of life, the

living planets and life of birds pushed the boundaries of natural history

filming into a whole new era.

After life on earth, David's career went stratospheric.

And he became a regular presence on our screens, bringing us the latest gripping

wildlife stories from around the world.

As an eight -year -old kid, I look forward to Sunday evenings when a big

comes out. Ah, come on. What are you going to teach me? Over the next few

decades, he authored eight major series, each with a different theme. David

always wanted to complete a whole bookshelf, really, of all the animal

Life of bird, life of mammal, private life of plants, which were all about

behaviour. These engaging chicks are so inquisitive.

It starts to get really interesting. It's much more immersive.

He was just getting stuck in.

Oh, dear.

David also had an uncanny ability to make animals appear right on schedule.

One of the challenges when you really want to get an amazing interaction with

David and animals is the animals never read the script.

We've got to get this animal to turn up on this moment at this time and right on

cue and do this thing. It's never going to happen.

Action. And top of the menu right now is... For David, there was an incredible

job at just rolling with it. But it also requires a high intelligence.

The blue whale, when it comes up right on cue.

There!

The blue whale!

It's a hundred feet long.

If I were doing a piece of camera and a blue whale suddenly appeared over my

head, I'd run a mile.

It seems he could even talk to the animals themselves.

We started to think to ourselves, is he actually Dr. Doodle?

Nobody knows why it happened.

But when you make strange noises here, seabirds fall from the sky.

How are you? Nice to see you.

Hello.

It wasn't always clean sailing.

Once they come back here onto their own patch of shingle, there's almost

anything, including me.

But David went that extra mile to bring viewers something different.

This, six feet beneath the surface of the earth, is the cellar of the colony.

David reacting to this amazing bull elephant seal. And for that, he must

It is just a broomstick between him and four tons of blubber.

In his now trademark blue shirt and cocky trousers.

Boo!

David would stop at nothing to bring the awe and wonder of the natural world

into people's living rooms.

I think that was pretty clear.

I mean, Michael, it seems from watching all those clips there that he has been

almost everywhere. In your conversations with him, has he ever betrayed a

certain place that he didn't make it to that he wish he had? Well, I mean,

David's a more intrepid traveller than myself.

If I see a swamp, I walk round it. David jumps in it.

But I think at one time I had been to more places and it got quite

I think, I'm not quite sure, but I'd been to both poles before David had been

either of them. Okay.

And I mean the North and South Pole. I'm not talking about Warsaw.

But,

no, there was one place which I think I'd been to and David never actually

got to or began to get to, and that's Everest.

Yeah, we're just seeing a photograph of it. Where are you there? That's right.

That's me at base camp at Everest at about 15 ,000 feet. I went up to about

,000 feet.

And you climbed it, did you? I didn't climb up to the top of Everest, no.

All right. I was too busy, Kirsty, too busy. I had another programme on, you

know, I was doing some light entertainment.

But rather remarkably, we've got this thing here. Yeah, I was wondering what

this is. Now, this is a bit...

of Everest.

I don't know where the camera is. They'll find you. There we are. This is

of Everest discovered in 1924 expedition and in 1926 it was donated

to the British Museum I think or something like that. Natural History

And this was the year of course of David's birth. So this bit of Everest

presented to David.

Well, we've presented to the Natural History Museum, and then to David. I

know if he's actually seen it, but here it is. Yeah, I think it's actually got

to go back to them. I don't think he gets it. Yeah, I think it's got to go

There we are.

Sorry about that.

Thank you very much.

Thanks to Michael Taylor.

So no actual live animals here tonight, but we are delighted to have squeezed in

a python.

Yeah.

What are you going to do? The huge success of the life collection was

pretty swiftly by another significant step forward. In 2006, Planet Earth was

the first wildlife series to be filmed entirely in high definition using aerial

camera systems that captured animal behavior for the very first time.

Then, in 2016, Planus Earth 2 raised the bar even further, allowing crews to get

in amongst the action, giving audiences a fully immersive experience.

The accompanying music was upbeat and joyful.

A standout track came from the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, called Hoppipodla,

which translates as hopping in puddles, capturing a sort of childlike sense of

awe and wonder. Here to play for us live tonight, Sigur Rós.

with Hoppy Fodler.

Satsang with Mooji

Oh no.

I'd put a

Wasn't that fantastic? A huge thank you to Sigurd Roth and to the Scholar

Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, conducted there by

Ames. Thank you so much.

Well, this might be Sir David's 100th birthday, but it's given us all a

wonderful excuse to celebrate in all sorts of imaginative ways, from taking

the big screens at Vicki...

Piccadilly Circus here in London, to school pupils in Stratford -upon -Avon

releasing 100 butterflies in his honour.

And, of course, countless people from all over the world want to wish David

happy returns. Here are just a few of those messages.

Sir David, happy birthday.

And how lucky we are to be able to get this opportunity to thank you.

for all the things that you've told us and taught us.

Taught us is a wrong word.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

Dear Sir David, here's wishing you a very happy birthday from high up in the

Himalaya. Happy 100th birthday from all of us at Glastonbury Festival.

Getting you here to appear on the Pyramid Stage was one of the greatest

of my life.

All of us.

In Coldplay, here in the jungles of Malibu, California, we send you so much

and respect to say happy 100th birthday.

Your work continues to be so instrumental to so many of us.

You have been such an incredible inspiration to the whole nation, myself

included. I certainly wouldn't be doing what I do today were it not for your

incredible programs.

I'm one of your hugest fans.

You have been me through so many chapters of my life.

Your voice is a gift to this earth. You are a national treasure.

You've inspired me as a young kid to follow my dream and become a wildlife

cameraman. It's because of you.

I embrace you and wish you all the best for this monumental birthday.

Thank you so much for everything you have given all of us throughout these

years. The world is a much better place with you in it. Your legacy is gigantic.

And I hope you know that, and I hope you feel celebrated and loved today as you

deserve to. Happy birthday.

I really hope that you're able to keep inspiring children just like me for

to come, because you're truly one of a kind.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

On behalf of all bears everywhere, thank you.

Sometimes a television moment becomes a national talking point.

Planet Earth 2 brought us some unforgettable encounters, and what we're

see is certainly one of the most gripping television moments that I've

seen. Fast -paced, heart -stopping, and with over 200 million views, this is

wildlife drama at its best.

Shot on a remote volcanic island in the Galapagos, the producer described

filming this next sequence as being like a car chase in an action movie,

starring an unlikely hero, a little baby marine iguana.

For maximum impact, it's filmed from both the baby iguana's perspective and

of its arch -nemesis, the sinister racer snakes.

We join the story as the last of a clutch of five babies has just hatched.

BBC Concert Orchestra is about to bring this moment to life for us tonight. And

for those who don't like snakes or are of a nervous disposition, I would urge

you to look away now.

A near -miraculous escape.

The lucky survivors could begin learning the unique way of life demanded by this

hostile island.

Well, that was first shown in 2016.

And it was the following year that Blue Planet 2 hit our screens, one of the

most influential movies ever made.

It opened our eyes to plastic pollution, with the subsequent public outcry

driving some global corporations to commit to much more sustainable

and even leading to some governments to pass new laws to help protect the

world's oceans.

Here to tell us more about what's known as the Blue Planet Effect are two of our

leading wildlife broadcasters, Liz Bonin and Steve Baxall. Thanks so much for

joining us this evening.

Liz, if I can start with you. I mean, we remember the moment that, you know,

using plastic straws now or not paying a little bit of a fee for a plastic bag

now seems ridiculous to us. How can you explain, how can you contextualize why

it was that this program...

resulted in, you know, change is difficult and this program resulted in

do you think it did? It built tremendous momentum in so many ways, Kirsty,

didn't it? I think it starts with thinking about the decades of

programs that David and the crews and the production teams had crafted and

continued to improve upon so that the origins got ever closer to wildlife,

immersed. They began to really experience nature, to understand it and

to care.

So by the time you have Blue Planet 2, which was... stunningly crafted, each

episode just staggeringly beautiful, first and foremost. But then you have an

image of a sperm whale trying to eat a plastic bag, mistaking it for food, or

albatross with plastic in its stomach.

The audience cared, and they wanted to do something about this.

And David even said that he was astonished. I mean, the response was

He was really astonished at the public action from schools to organizations to

policies.

even in England, so they increased the charge for plastic bags.

Lots of single -use plastics were banned.

And now, to date, over 100 countries have implemented national -scale bans on

single -use plastic.

The UN itself announced a global agreement to stop

plastic pollution that led to the Plastic Treaty.

I mean, all of that was just incredible.

Steve, I think, you know, we, the public...

felt it. What is interesting about David is he reaches well beyond the public

and he reaches into the community who've been slogging away for a long time at

this. What do you think his skill is in doing that and speaking to scientists

and speaking to inventors?

I think, well, hello you all. Hello, Professor David, obviously as well. I

one of the most important things is trust.

You know, Sir David is often voiced as being the most trusted person in the

world, which is quite a flex.

But that hard -worn earned trust over decades means that when he speaks, we

listen and we know that what he's saying comes from scientific facts and he

really believes it. And I think that now, particularly in this time where

so hard to tell fact from fiction, having a voice like Sir David's that you

is trustworthy is just everything.

Liz, one more. We're running out of time, but one of the interesting things

know from our world, the television world, the cameras go off and people go

to the next job. The cameras go off for Sir David's.

The cameras are down, and I don't think viewers understand just how much work

David does on his time off, the amount of connection he makes with people on

ground who are cleaning the reed beds and who are clearing out the brambles.

connects, he supports, he champions them. With the Wildlife Trust, he

16 million pounds for the British Wildlife Appeal. He traveled the country

once but twice, visited over 25 ,000 people, and he believes in

With the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, he collaborates with 10

conservation organizations tirelessly across sectors as well. I mean, this is

the kind of work that this man does on his day off. I feel so bad stopping you

because I know you could go on.

Thank you both for joining us. Thank you so much.

So we can, of course, all agree that David is without doubt the best -known

wildlife broadcaster of our time. His influence and reach has extended to

meetings with prime ministers and presidents, to mixing with royalty and

radio DJs. There really is rather a lot to this multifaceted man.

What is he?

He's not an archaeologist, is he?

He's not a naturist, he doesn't go around naked, does he?

Was he? The director said, cut, and the cameraman put the light out and about to

hit me straight in the face.

Entertainer.

Musician.

Dancer. Royal advisor.

For the radio.

Actor.

David, have a lovely trip.

Raconteur. I took out my hand and I heard myself say, good afternoon.

David has played many different roles across his career.

Everybody knows David Attenborough.

He's more than just significant.

He's considered to be an almost indispensable figure.

And for us all to just lean in, even if we don't know fully why it is, what is

it about this man that makes me think, oh yeah, I know, I'll listen to anything

that you say to me.

So David Attenborough's voice is iconic.

I thought it would be good for you to narrate the beginning of Adele's new

video. Really?

Will Adele be cross with me? I think Adele would probably love this more than

anything in the whole world.

She, like all pop stars, needs to hunt to survive.

But there's a problem.

The signal is poor and she hasn't upgraded her handset since 1999.

Hashtag flip phone.

Hello. Hello.

Tonight on Life on Earth.

His distinctive presenting style has been impersonated for decades.

A walking tree can achieve speeds of up to 50 miles an hour, especially when

it's in a hurry.

And here we are.

My next guest is a knight of the realm. A leviathan of the natural world. He is

David Attenborough. The original king of the jungle, it's Sir David

Attenborough! And he has long been a star attraction on the chat show Sofas

Britain. Frogs take the tadpole into their mouth and start speaking with

mouthful. So they carry them around. And then they go, and the little frog pops

up. I hope you don't take it the wrong way, but that sounds disgusting.

Beloved by millions across the planet, he has been inspiring us for

Young people listen when Sir David speaks because they have grown up with

He's just so famous, but in a lovely way.

He's one of those people that's just like, what would the world be without

That's why I'm making a biscuit of him. Love the design, and I love the

execution of it as well.

He had no idea about celebrity or anything. He was invited to go to

He thought maybe he'd be talking to a couple of hundred people.

It's this enormous roar, and he stung them.

And then he went... Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

People just... He hasn't just shown us the world. He

has brought us together.

Thank you very much.

Extraordinary. Well, David has been inspiring millions of people across the

globe for decades.

Generations of us have grown up listening to his inimitable voice. And

children... He's sparked a lifelong love of nature. He's always been passionate

about teaching new generations about the wonders of the natural world. They,

after all, are the future guardians of our planet.

Inspired by David, Blue Peter viewers are on a mission to create something

beautiful in his honour.

that Sir David Attenborough would like. That the beach doesn't need anymore,

like shells and seaweed.

This guy. OK.

Some driftwood.

Oh, feather!

Whoa, look at this guy.

Sir David Attenborough has inspired me a lot. He, like, knows so much about

animals. How does he remember all of that stuff?

Look at this crab.

When he tells me facts, I soak them up, because if I know more about animals, I

can help them better.

A whelk egg cake.

Wow! I think people think of David Attenborough as a hero.

He's doing all this work that nobody told him to do it. He just thought

he should do it, which is a brilliant idea.

A metal shell.

That would work.

The planet depends on us, so we all need to work together to live a good life.

I think we've got all we need from here. Let's go.

I think David Attenborough gives you a bit of hope.

He really makes people think about their actions.

Let's see what we can find.

Even though you might be a small person, you can make a big, massive difference.

Whoa. Oh, wow.

Look, his feathers.

It's, like, kind of really silky at the top. I think that people who only care,

like, a touch about the environment, I feel like they should just pause, stop.

and listen.

If everyone were like Sir David Attenborough, the world would be such a

place.

Wow, this tree is so cool. How long do you think this tree's been here for?

As long as David Attenborough's been alive.

Yeah!

I got my blue Peter Green badge by making a speech on Sir David at school.

said that he wants everyone to change and he believes everyone can change.

When I grow up, I would really like to be like him and try and inspire as many

people as I could to make them change the planet and make it better.

Right, guys, let's get started.

Maybe we should do some pine cones. I'm going to put some seaweed on it.

Do I add another feather? Oh, yeah, go ahead.

Right, it's ready.

Yay!

We hope you like your card.

We want to thank you.

On behalf of every child you've ever inspired.

We promise to follow in your footsteps.

And always try to help. And protect our world. Happy Birthday Sunday!

And here with a place of honour on stage is that beautiful card. It looks

fantastic and I promise you I will make sure this evening that Sir David safely

receives it. Now, we are delighted and deeply honoured to be joined by someone

who has known and worked alongside David for many years and who shares his

enduring commitment to protecting the natural world. Here to pay tribute to

David and his life's work, please welcome His Royal Highness.

the Prince of Wales.

The standing ovations are for David tonight.

Good evening, everyone.

And watching back those clips, I hadn't appreciated how many times David liked

to take his shirt off when filming.

I shan't be copying him tonight.

It is a rare privilege to celebrate a century of life, but it is rare as still

when that person has transformed the way we see the only home that we have.

planet earth david for decades your voice has been a constant in our lives

guiding us through rainforests and oceans over mountains and into the very

fabric of life through your boundless curiosity gentle wisdom and unwavering

dedication you have opened our eyes to the beauty of our planet and to its

fragility reminding us of our collective responsibility to protect it

You have been a guiding light in the work we now undertake to safeguard the

natural world.

Long before many of us found our voice on the challenges we face, you were

speaking with clarity, urgency and optimism.

And it is that sense of urgent optimism that has made all the difference.

Like millions across the world, my children have grown up with your

storytelling.

A window into the wonders of nature.

that shaped their understanding of our planet and their belief that it is

something worth fighting for.

And for me personally, your friendship has been profound.

You have strengthened my own determination to act, to work with those

raising awareness of the challenges and building the solutions that drive

meaningful change.

Through your support in establishing the Earthshot Prize, we are now striving to

turn your inspiration into action.

to champion those solutions that are creating a more sustainable future for

all.

Because one of the greatest gifts you've given us, David, is more than just an

understanding of what is at risk.

You've given us belief that positive change is still possible.

Tonight, we celebrate far more than a remarkable milestone of 100 years.

We celebrate a lifetime of extraordinary service, a life that has brought the

natural world closer to humanity and humanity closer to its responsibility to

the natural world.

Your legacy is not only the films we treasure or the knowledge you have

It is the generations you have inspired.

Generations who now look forward with determination and with optimism.

And so as we celebrate you this evening, we also look to the future, one that

carries your voice forward.

If there is a baton to be taken up, it is the one you have prepared us to

Sir David, thank you for your wisdom, your kindness, your dedication, and for

reminding us always of the wonder of the world we call home.

A very happy 100th birthday.

Well, thank you so much to His Royal Highness there for joining us this

Now, the birthday wishes have been pouring in for David, and here are just

more from some of his biggest fans across the globe.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

They say we protect only what we love and love only what we understand.

If this is true, then you are one of the greatest forces ever to protect our

planet.

Thousands of scientists, environmentalists and campaigners have

paths because of you.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

I hope you're surrounded by those you love and those who love you. You've been

key to my understanding and love for nature.

You've been an inspiration going back decades. Your humour, your unshowing

expertise, your poise are, as far as I'm concerned, the gold standard.

For television.

Growing up watching your documentaries not only changed the way that I viewed

the natural world, but it's also something that inspires and motivates me

single day. I watch Planet Earth or Blue Planet or Our Planet and I always feel

connected to...

something bigger than myself.

Your voice will echo in our hearts and minds for generations to come. It's been

wonderful in latter years to have worked with you and interviewed you. You

remain an inspiration to so many people.

Happy birthday, David. Thank you for reminding us over and over again what a

beautiful world we live in. I can't think of anyone that I respect more.

Your love and wisdom for this planet is unparalleled.

Thank you truly for everything you've done and continue to do for our very

precious planet and all of its inhabitants.

Happy 100th birthday.

It

is

time now for our final performance.

of the night. I am delighted to welcome a true star in the making, the fabulous

Sienna Spiro with the timeless track Nature Boy.

A very strange enchanted void.

They wandered very far, very far.

Over land and sea.

A little shy and sad of eye.

Very wise was he.

Very strange in Canterbury.

Magic Day Heat!

What about that? Sienna Spyro there with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Thank you so

much.

Well, even though it's his birthday week, David's still been hard at work

voicing a brand new series.

Tonight, I am thrilled to announce that launching this autumn is Blue Planet 3.

We felt that we couldn't go this evening without sharing a little glimpse, this

was just recorded a few days ago, into 100 -year -old David Attenborough's

typical working day.

First, she must perfect her mating call.

A seductive song.

It's thought that she deliberately selects parts of the seabed which

sound.

But will anyone answer?

What about that? An inspiration to us all.

No.

Before we go, there is just one last thing that we'd really love to do.

But we are going to need the help of everyone here in the hall tonight, and

is to sing Happy Birthday.

Shall we?

What a wonderful evening it's been. Our huge thanks to everyone who has played a

part to the BBC Concert Orchestra, to our fantastic audience here, and to all

of you at home.

I have to tell you, to help celebrate the 100th birthday of this extraordinary

man is a privilege. Thank you, David, not just for joining us.

here tonight but for for the lifetime you spent sharing your love and

of the planet opening our eyes to its beauty and brilliance and fragility

you've given nature a voice and what a voice it is full of understanding and

compassion and delight the sheer joy and inspiration that you have brought to

countless millions of us is immeasurable your work goes on

Your legacy is infinite.

Thank you Now

There

is For sure

only one person who deserves the last word and it is of course the man himself

here he is

perfectly summing up all that he stands for.

I see trees of green, red roses too.

I see them bloom for me and you.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful

world.

I see skies of blue, clouds of white,

bright blessed days, dark sacred

nights.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

The colours of a rainbow,

so pretty in the sky,

are also on the faces of people going by.

I see friends shaking hands, saying, how do you do?

They're really saying, I love you.

I hear babies cry.

I watch them grow.

They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

Quite simply wonderful.

100 years on planet Earth.

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