Original subtitles

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

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

sorts of 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.

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

way 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

for 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 humor.

And he wears his remarkable knowledge and superstar status very lightly

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

back 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 10 years, he has been busier than ever.

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

series.

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 splendour 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,

one planet.

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

planet.

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

protection.

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 embraced every 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 rest of us who want to retire see Davy

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.

Sir 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,

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

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

soundtracks for these unforgettable scenes, reinforcing the awe and emotion

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

of that wonderful music coming up, starting...

with a song from Planet Earth 3, a collaboration between Hans Zimmer and

the chart-topping indie band Bastille. So please welcome from Bastille, Dan

Smith and the BBC Concert Orchestra with Pompeii.

to show And

the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love

Great clouds roll over the hills

bringing darkness from above

But if you close

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 gonna be an optimist about this?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love.

Paper clouds roll over the hills, bringing darkness from above.

But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel

right?

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

been here before?

Oh, how am I gonna be an optimist about this?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this if you close your eyes?

Amazing. Amazing.

Well, thanks very much to the superb Dan Smith, joined there by the Ascension

Choir, conducted by Jerome Kuhn.

Turning 100.

is an extraordinary milestone for anyone.

Here in the UK, of course, there's a long-standing tradition that to mark the

big occasion, every centenarian receives in the post a special birthday card from

the monarch.

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

that extra mile.

Come on, come on. There you go.

There.

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

life.

Before it all ends Before we run out of time

Stay close to me Stay close to

me Watch the world

Tonight this could

be The greatest night

Let's make a new start The future is ours to find

Can you see it?

Can you see it in my eyes?

Can you feel it?

Close to me

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, and it is...

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,

from 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 programs 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

the course of his life forever.

In 1954, the BBC launched a groundbreaking television series.

ZooQuest followed expeditions around the world, organised by London Zoo, 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.

There 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 was 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. Landworn 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.

He started out as the producer of

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

step in.

So I, quite unintentionally, I appeared on television.

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

Everybody realized pretty quickly he was a natural to it.

There was this magical quality that drew you in.

Now, could we see her?

Hello, Jane. Hello, Gossett. 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.

Well, joining me now are two people who know all about how filmmaking has

changed since the days of ZooQuest.

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

filmmaker 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 for audiences 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 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...

wildlife 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 hits, doesn't it? I 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. Literally.

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

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

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

only had a one-take wonder to do his pieces.

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

ropey.

We'll gloss over that. Less polished.

Yes, less polished 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 mean, it's rare, it's expensive, it does clever stuff.

Explain it to us, would you? Yeah, so this is the actual camera that I use

whilst filming Big Cats 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

prey 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. Anyway.

You look quite hot.

I'm going to have to stop now.

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

taking the time. That was fascinating.

And guess what? The technology worked.

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

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

on the program.

He was also the sound recordist and he traveled the world. He'd get recordings

then to use as background music in the films.

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

harp 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

loud 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.

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

revolutionised broadcasting by introducing Europe's first colour

television service.

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

much he was in charge of all BBC TV's output.

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

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

Flying 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

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

there is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance

with a gorilla than any other animal I know.

We're so similar.

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, when 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, he's extraordinary acceptance.

It's just so genuine.

It's just pure immersion.

There he 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 scene like this again.

He is in heaven.

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

our 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 Danfossi Gorilla Fund 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

it 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

fewer 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

gorillas that lived when David Attenborough visited in 1978.

Their population has steadily increased.

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

their forest habitat.

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

people 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 to Felix 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, who's 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

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

Welcome.

So nice to see you. So nice to see you.

You have known... 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 Zoo Quest, which was a great worry

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

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

controller 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 treated us 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 of complaints.

And he said, well, you know, taking it off and not seeing it, that's the way a

cult is made. He wasn't wrong, was he? 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 programmes, very well travelled yourself.

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

there, 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 them.

Pacific or something like that and whenever we wherever we were together at

book launches or book festivals We'd always compare figures and I would David

say how many how many of you? 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 I think

probably it's something that we all recognize 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 fulfils

him. And I suppose I feel the same when I travel. That's the whole point. The

people you meet are what the programme is 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 programme

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

kingdoms.

Life of birds, life of mammals, private life of plants, which are all about

behavior. 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 salmon.

Sir David does an incredible job at just rolling with it. But it also requires

the 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 seemed he could even talk to the animals themselves.

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

Nobody knows why it happens.

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

Where are you?

Nice to see you.

Hello.

It wasn't always plain sailing.

Once they come back here, onto their own patch of shingle.

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 to that, he must

fight!

With 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 wished 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

competitive. I think, I'm not quite sure, but I'd been to both poles before

David had been to either of them. Okay, and I mean the north and south poles.

I'm not talking about Warsaw But no there was There was one place which

I think I'd been to and David never never actually Got to or began to get to

and that's everest. Yeah, we're just seeing a photograph that they were yeah,

where are you there? That's right. That's that's me at base camp and

everest about 15,000 feet. I went up to about 17,000 feet

And... And you climbed it, did you? I didn't climb up to the top of Everest,

no, 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. There's

the camera. This is a bit of Everest discovered in 1924 expedition.

And in 1926, it was donated to the British Museum, I think, or something

like that. Yeah, Natural History Museum.

Natural History Museum.

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

was, as I say, presented to David.

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

don't 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

back. There we are.

Sorry about that.

Thank you very much.

Thanks to Michael Thelen.

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

followed 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, Planet 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 Hoppipodla.

is is

Thank you.

to...

We are a nuisance.

Wasn't that fantastic? A huge thank you to Sigar Ross and to the Scholar

Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, conducted there by

Robert 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

over the big screens at Pickie... 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 many

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

honours of my life.

All of us.

in Coldplay here in the jungles of Malibu, California.

We send you so much love 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 seen 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 dreams 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

years 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

about to see is certainly one of the most gripping television moments that

I've ever 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

that of its arch nemesis, the sinister racer snakes.

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

The 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.

Thank you.

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 series ever made.

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

driving some global corporations to commit to much more sustainable

practices, 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 Backshall. 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

it. Why 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

extraordinary 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, more immersed. They began to really experience nature, to understand

it and therefore 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 an albatross with plastic in its stomach.

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

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

ridiculous, and he was really...

astonished at the public action from schools to organizations to policies.

And 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... 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 to Sir David, obviously, as well. I think

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-earned trust over decades means that when he speaks, we listen,

and we know that what he's saying comes from scientific fact, and he really

believes it. And I think that now, particularly in this time where it's so

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

is... trustworthy is just everything. Liz, one more. We're running out of

time, but one of the interesting things we know from our world, the television

world, the cameras go off and people go on to the next job. The cameras go off

for Sir David, not the same. 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 the ground who

are cleaning the reed beds and who are clearing out the brambles he connects he

supports he champions them with the with the wildlife trust he raised uh 16

million pounds for the british wildlife appeal he traveled the country not once

but twice visited over 25 000 people and he believes in collaboration with the

cambridge conservation initiative he collaborates with 10 different

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

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

What is he?

He's not an archaeologist, is he?

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

The Z. The director said, cut, and the cameraman put the light out and about to

hit me straight in the face.

Entertainer.

Musician.

Dancer. God, it's bloody hot in here.

Royal advisor.

It's for the radio.

Actor.

Sir David, have a lovely trip.

I love that one.

Raconteur. I stuck 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'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.

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 of Britain.

Frogs take the tadpole into their mouth, speaking with their mouth full. So they

carry them around. And then they go, and the little frog pops up. I hope we don't

take this the wrong way, but that sounds disgusting.

Beloved by millions across the planet, he's been inspiring us for generations.

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

him. He's just so famous.

But in a lovely way.

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

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

it as well He has no idea about celebrity or anything. He was invited to

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

This is enormous raw and he and he

stung and then he went

Thank you. Thank you. People just, yes!

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

for many 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.

Feather! 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.

I think it's 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

himself he should do it, which is a brilliant idea.

A mussel 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, here's some 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

better place.

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.

I 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. Should

I add another feather? Oh, yeah, I'm going to do it.

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 Sir Dan!

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.

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 likes

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

incredible 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

who are 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

us 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

shared. It is the generations you've 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

carry.

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

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

just a few 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

chosen their path because of you.

Happy birthday, Sir David.

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

You have been key to my understanding and love for nature.

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

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

every 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 Spyro with the timeless track

Nature Boy.

A very strange enchanted boy They say he wandered

very far, very far Over land

and sea A little shy

and sad of eye But

very wise was he

Very strange, enchanted voice They wandered

very far, very far Over land and

sea

Magic day he passed my way While we spoke of many

things Fools and kings This he said to

me The great

Fantastic.

Fantastic.

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.

And we felt that we couldn't go this evening without

sharing a little glimpse recorded. 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

amplify the sound.

Will anyone answer?

What about that? An inspiration to us all.

Now... 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 that 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 the lifetime you spent sharing your love and

knowledge 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

night and i think to myself what

a wonderful world

The colors 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.

Celebrate 25 years of Open University BBC co-productions with David

Attenborough. Featuring original artwork, clips and fresh academic

insights. Go to connect.open.ac.uk forward slash 100 years

on planet Earth.