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Hello, and welcome to what promises
to be a very special evening.
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Tonight,
on the occasion of his 90th birthday,
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we are privileged to be celebrating
the life and career of a man
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whose passion and knowledge
of the natural world
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has fundamentally changed
how we see the world.
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His unique ability to help us understand
our planet is little short of remarkable.
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He is frequently referred to as the
greatest broadcaster of all time.
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He's even beaten David Beckham in a
poll of the coolest men on the planet.
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I am, of course, talking about the
one and only Sir David Attenborough.
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Tonight, we've got a rather
different programme for you.
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And top of the menu right now is salmon.
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And for that he must fight.
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Ladies and gentlemen,
it gives me the greatest of pleasure
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to welcome Sir David Attenborough.
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Welcome, welcome, welcome,
to your little television party.
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Well...
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I think they are pleased to see you.
First things first, happy birthday.
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How... How is 90?
- Thank you very much. - How does 90 feel?
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Well, I haven't got used to it yet.
- No? - I hope it'll be okay.
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Like 80, you know, like, say... No,
it won't be like 60. But it'll be good.
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In your 90th year,
building up to the birthday,
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it strikes me you've been as happy as ever.
I've been talking to people behind the scenes.
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They say, Argentina to Australia
and everywhere in-between.
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Just remind us of what you've been
filming in the last 12 months.
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Well, I filmed that big dinosaur,
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the biggest one yet found in Argentina.
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I filmed luminous earthworms in France,
believe it or not.
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I've been on the Barrier Reef.
So, I've had a good time.
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Your fascination with the natural
world is obvious to all of us.
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And it's interesting that the
beginnings of your career in television
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were really the beginnings of television. I
mean, that's when it really got off the ground,
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in those very early 1950s.
How did you get into television?
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Oh, by accident.
And certainly not by design.
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Because I had never seen television,
in 1952.
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And the number of people
who could see it were tiny.
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They were just in London.
A few thousand people.
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And then I was working in publishing,
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on an extremely boring job,
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putting commas into manuscripts,
or occasionally taking them out
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if I was feeling bad tempered.
And it was indescribably boring.
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And I saw...
Saw an advertisement in the paper
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that said the BBC
wanted a radio producer.
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Talks producer. And I thought, "Well,
I can talk. I must know how to talk."
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And so I applied and I...
I got a polite refusal.
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I didn't get an interview or anything.
- Right. - just said, "No, thank you very much."
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Which is understandable.
I'm sure they got thousands.
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And then about a fortnight after that,
I got another letter
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from someone else in the BBC saying, "We're
starting this new thing called television.
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"Which a lot of people are rude about "and
we think, but there could be something in it.
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"And we've seen your...
We've seen your application
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"and you're the sort of person we are
looking for. "Would you like to apply?"
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And you ranged across as a young
producer, all subjects, then.
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I mean, what would you have been covering
as a young producer? - Non-fiction. - Right.
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00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,473
And so I did... I mean, I started off
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by doing an archaeological quiz
called Animal, Vegetable, Mineral.
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But I did political talks,
I did political discussions.
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I did gardening.
What else did I do? Knitting.
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They had prog...
They had a programme on knitting. Yeah.
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By 1954,
you had honed your skills enough
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to be allowed to work on something...
I mean, R was naked Zoo Quest.
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And, actually, it would go on to
be a very, very popular series.
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You were working as a producer or
you were working as a presenter?
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I was working... Oh, no, not at all.
I was entirely a producer.
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I had no intention of being a presenter.
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And the only reason I did was because the man
from the zoo, jack Lester, became very ill.
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Yes.
- And it was a live show.
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So I was told by the
head of the television,
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"Okay, the only other person
who can do this is you."
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So I appeared by accident, really. - So
you travelled around the world for Zoo Quest,
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with your companion at the time.
It was a cameraman called Charles Lagus.
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He's a slip of a lad, David. He's just 88.
And we went to hear some of his memories
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of those early days working with you.
- I met this young man called Attenborough.
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We seemed to hit it off straight away.
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And David's knowledge just staggered me.
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When we first got off this
aeroplane and started walking
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there would be the odd bush
animal that walked past, you know.
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He instantly knew what it was,
what genus it was.
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Look at trees,
he knew what 'tree it was.
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His zoological knowledge
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in a country he'd never been to,
he'd never been out of England,
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was absolutely brilliant.
I mean, he was just so reliable.
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We slept in hammocks.
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We spent a lot of time
eating boiled rice.
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And, yet, we just got on and did it.
It just seemed natural.
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But it was quite good coming
back and having a proper meal.
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When you look at that film,
what are your memories?
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Are you suddenly back there?
Are you taken back to the moment?
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Yes. Yes, I truly am.
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They were marvellous trips, of course.
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And you couldn't do anything like it
now because there were no mobile phones.
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There were... When you left, you left.
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And so the animals that
you would bring back then,
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one of the most notable is the python.
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Well that was one we caught
in Indonesia, in java.
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Did you catch it?
- Well, yes, I did.
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Because, you see, poor old jack, he'd left.
And I, in order to carry on this charade,
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that I was an animal collector...
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You know, I had to actually...
I had to do the business.
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How do you... How do you catch a python?
- With great difficulty.
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And... And considerable alarm,
I don't mind telling you.
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Okay.
Well, let's just take a little look
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at the Zoo Quest
episode with the python.
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Helping me control, this python
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is Mr Lanworn from the Reptile
House in The London Zoo.
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Who, in fact, has it in his care now.
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How is he?
- Well, he is doing very fine, actually.
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He's doing... He's doing... Well, here's a very
good example of how he constricts his food.
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00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,531
Shall I just show you or will you
lose your hand? - No, I don't think so,
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I'll be able to get out eventually. - While I leave
Mr Lanworn to untie himself from this snake,
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we must say good night.
So, from us both, good night.
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David, I think that must have been
the last time you used Brylcreem.
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00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:08,189
You did look very smart there. Let's talk, then,
about making a name for yourself on screen.
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You did that with Zoo Quest.
It became hugely popular.
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00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,736
And then something
rather unusual happened.
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As we know, again, it was the fledgling
days of television, it was 1965,
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and they said to you, who was
becoming this televisual presence,
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00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,473
"Would you like to come and run BBC Two?
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To be the controller of BBC Two?"
What was your plan?
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Well, it was just about the best job
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you could possibly have in broadcasting,
really, if you were interested in programming.
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And the brief was, "Whatever you do,
make it different from BBC One."
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They'd go a bit further. They said,
"Provide an alternative to BBC One."
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Now, actually,
you can't define what an alternative...
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What is the alternative to football? It's
certainly not Beethoven's string quartets.
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I mean, people will play quartets like
football just as much as anybody else does.
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So, in the end, we decided as long
as we got a new kind of programme,
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it would be... It would do. So, we
developed new things in every genre, really.
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We had new kinds of drama, we had
classic serials from the great authors.
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00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,520
We had new sports, we had a floodlit
rugby league, which we started.
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00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,240
And we started snooker,
I don't mind telling you.
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00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,736
So then,
you'd been controller of BBC Two.
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You'd made such a good job of
that that you were then promoted
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to Director of Programmes and you
were very diverse and innovative.
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00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:41,031
Interestingly, the big landmark series
was something that you became known for,
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00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:47,033
this was Civilisation, there was the Ascent of
Man. There were lots of comedies too, David.
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There was The Likely Lads,
and Monty Python's Flying Circus.
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Well, joining us to tell us more, please
welcome the wonderful Michael Palin.
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David.
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Good to see you.
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So, Michael,
Monty Python at the time, of course,
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cult status for many decades, but,
at the time, it split audiences
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a lot of people didn't like it and
didn't get it. And it certainly
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among a lot of the sort
of management of the BBC,
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it was not popular. - I must say,
you were very good. You were the one...
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A lot of other BBC executives
avoided us completely.
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And you came up and said, "Well, you know,
"the fact that you're not on every night
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00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:38,829
"and the problem is that you get taken
off "when Horse of the Year Show overruns,
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"means you're gonna become a cult show."
- Yes! - "And cult shows are never forgotten."
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And I thought, "What a Load of
old rubbish." But he was right!
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Nice thing about Python was that we
were... The BBC let us just get on with it.
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Nobody supervised the programme
or watched what we were doing.
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And we were able to hone
it over sort of 13 shows.
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There was a lot of very bad stuff that we
did and there was a lot of very good stuff.
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00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:06,311
But, it was amazing, the BBC let us just
carry on experimenting in our little basement.
155
00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,776
And, David,
you mentioned the sports programming
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that you were responsible for as Director
of Programmes. It was Match of the Day.
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You introduced One Day Cricket.
And you mentioned the snooker.
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00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,839
And of course,
you decided to put snooker on
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at a time, much like a lot of the
technology that you've used subsequently.
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00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,839
Because it was only then that people
could see the different colours. - Yes.
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00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,833
And did people think
snooker would be good TV?
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00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,312
No, it was a classic line.
I had to explain.
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That you see, although the people with
colour sets could see it in colour,
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00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,800
the majority of the people
couldn't see it in colour.
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00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:42,192
So the commentator had
to help them understand.
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And I impressed this on the
commentator during the first show.
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00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:50,477
And he, sort of, after he'd got into
the show and the game was progressing,
168
00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:53,200
and he was doing the hushed tones,
you know.
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He eventually said, "And now,
he is going for the blue.
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00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,318
"And for those of you with
the black and white sets
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00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,900
"the blue is next to the green."
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00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,155
David you are very well
known for quizzing visitors
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00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,915
to your home, on some of the...
They are very exotic, very rare objects
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00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,353
that you've collected over the years,
indeed. Michael, you were put to the test
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back in 2002, I think it was. - I was. I was
quaking in my boots! - Oh, come along, now.
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00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,319
Let's take a look at this
documentary live on air.
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00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,040
Yes, well, object number three is?
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It's extremely heavy. I would have
thought it was an egg of some kind.
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00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,994
But I can't imagine any animal. - It is an egg?
This is cut from inside of some creature?
180
00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,477
Yes, it's an... It's an egg.
- Dinosaur egg.
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Full marks. Ten out of ten.
- Really?
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There are two thing you can always
say under these circumstances.
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00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,792
Either it's a ritual object...
...or else, money.
184
00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,918
There's always two. You can always
say one of the two, one or the other.
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00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,595
Okay.
- And that is money. - Ritual...
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00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,913
We're rather a good comic team,
I think, David, actually.
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00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,869
So it is your turn then, Michael.
We're giving you the turn... - Yes.
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00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,456
You're gonna turn the tables. - I have
something that probably won't be that difficult.
189
00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:18,229
But I've got something which
I procured in my travels
190
00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:23,031
and I wonder if you know what it might
be, where it's from, what it's for?
191
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:27,198
Money or ritual object?
- Would you like to use it? - Use it?
192
00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,376
First of all, David,
it's the wrong way up.
193
00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:35,478
I was gonna say a flower arrangement.
- No? - No. Turn it the right way up.
194
00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,910
Well... Well, it's either a
neck rest or a bottom rest.
195
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:46,833
And I reckon that's a bottom rest. - Yeah.
- And I reckon it must be an African one.
196
00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,478
Yeah, people would carry them around,
actually, like that, you know. - Exactly.
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00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,279
He got that annoyingly quickly,
didn't he?
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00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,874
That is from the Karamojong people.
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00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,872
Is it? - I mean, brilliant. - It is.
- And these very, very big guys,
200
00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,914
they're enormous people, and they just take
these around and whenever they want to sit
201
00:15:01,985 --> 00:15:04,830
just sit on these.
I mean, it's really... It looks easy,
202
00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,420
but actually it's got...
203
00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,152
Actually that's not bad, really.
There you are. Well...
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00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,840
Beautiful, economic, clever... It's a...
- It's a wonderful thing.
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00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,315
But it's the only thing they have apart from
their spears as far as I remember, is that right?
206
00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:27,349
One of them had a Rolex watch, actually.
Seriously, quite seriously.
207
00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,940
Michael Palin,
thank you very much indeed.
208
00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,599
David, I think it would be fair
to say that you have probably
209
00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,514
travelled more places than
anybody else who has ever lived.
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00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:47,230
But there is one place
you still haven't been to.
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00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:53,393
Good evening, Sir David and good evening, everyone.
And welcome on board the International Space Station
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00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,360
where we are orbiting 400 kilometres
above the Earth's surface.
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Sir David, your adventures and your
words have inspired us enormously
214
00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,074
and changed the way that
we look at our Earth.
215
00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,198
Britain has a long history
of scientific endeavour.
216
00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,636
And just like the naturalists
and explorers of our history,
217
00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,599
it's important that we tell
the story of the scientists,
218
00:16:13,663 --> 00:16:17,253
conservationists, and explorers
of today to the next generation
219
00:16:17,317 --> 00:16:22,080
to change our future for the better.
So from here in space above the Equator,
220
00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,869
I would like to wish you, Sir David,
a very happy 90th birthday.
221
00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:37,350
You had then, as is clear, spent a
very successful time as a backroom boy,
222
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,353
running BBC Two,
being Director of Programmes.
223
00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,512
You had risen pretty high and
you decided, extraordinarily,
224
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,331
and this seems to be a, sort of,
pivotal point in your life. It was 1972,
225
00:16:47,395 --> 00:16:51,276
and you resigned those big jobs.
You said, "I don't fancy this anymore."
226
00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:56,351
I mean, what was your thinking? And it must have
been, personally, a pretty momentous decision.
227
00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,838
Well, I don't know. I mean,
you know, it paid off the mortgage
228
00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:02,753
and the children...
The children had left school
229
00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:06,350
and had been educated.
And... What was I going to do?
230
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:08,736
And what I, what I thought I was...
231
00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:13,279
What I know I enjoyed most was making programmes.
So why not go back and make programmes?
232
00:17:13,360 --> 00:17:18,434
1979,
Life on Earth makes it onto our screens.
233
00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:23,318
It is a ground-breaking series. It's a
13-part series. It was hugely popular.
234
00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,918
It made you a household name. What
was the inspiration for that series?
235
00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,599
Why did you passionately want to make it?
- While we are... When I was running BBC Two,
236
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:37,477
we started a new kind of documentary
which was 13 part, one-hour programmes.
237
00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:42,839
Which set out to, more or less,
say, by implication to viewers,
238
00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,437
"Look, if you want to know about
this that you've often heard about,
239
00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:52,558
"stay with us for 13 hours week by week.
"And at the end of it, we will have given you
240
00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,976
a reasonably responsible
outline of what it's about.
241
00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,271
But I knew, you see, the, the subject
242
00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:01,273
that you could really make
a mind-blowing series about
243
00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:04,273
would be the history of life on Earth,
244
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:08,035
from the very simplest to
the primates like ourselves.
245
00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:10,839
And that could easily
fall into 13 parts.
246
00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,311
And I thought, "By golly,
that's a thing I'd like to do."
247
00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,995
My worry was that while I
was Director of Programmes
248
00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,311
that some other perisher was going to...
249
00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,030
and say, "What about this wonderful
idea of doing the history of life?"
250
00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,351
And I couldn't, in all conscience,
then say, "No."
251
00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:33,513
But fortunately nobody did.
And so, as soon as I resigned,
252
00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:38,676
I suggested to the BBC that maybe this
would be something they might consider.
253
00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,953
It was a huge hit with viewers.
It was full of extraordinary moments.
254
00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:46,712
But, of course, the most celebrated
moment from Life on Earth is...
255
00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,256
I don't even have to say what it is.
It's this magical sequence here.
256
00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,820
Let's watch it.
257
00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:57,351
There is more meaning
and mutual understanding
258
00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,910
in exchanging a glance with a gorilla
259
00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,936
than any other animal right now.
260
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,550
And this is how they
spend most of their time
261
00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,917
lounging on the ground,
grooming one another.
262
00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,874
Sometimes they even
allow others to join in.
263
00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,991
Extraordinary. Well, joining us now
to tell us more about that moment
264
00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,350
is someone who was just a fresh-faced
research assistant in Rwanda at the time.
265
00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,273
He's now the Chairman of
The Gorilla Organisation.
266
00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:00,860
Please welcome Ian Redmond.
267
00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:12,756
Happy memories I can tell, watching that
clip. David, what was the original purpose
268
00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,958
of filming this sequence
among the gorillas?
269
00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:20,313
Well, I wanted to... One of the key
things in the history of humanity,
270
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:25,796
in the evolution of humanity, was the
moment when our ancient primate cousins
271
00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:30,670
developed the ability to put
thumb and forefinger together,
272
00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,589
so they could hold. Initially, of course,
branches so they could swing around.
273
00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,136
But if you can do that
you can hold a tool.
274
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,431
If you can hold a tool,
you can make weapons,
275
00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,354
you can make all kind of
objects that you wanted to.
276
00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,877
So, the opposable thumb,
as it's called, is a crucial thing.
277
00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,758
And I wanted to
illustrate that with apes.
278
00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:58,789
And, Ian, were you surprised
when you saw the behaviour
279
00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,474
of these gorillas around David?
280
00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,393
Well, at the time the gorillas
were used to one observer.
281
00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,856
So it was very unusual to have
a group of people coming in.
282
00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:12,034
Right. But gorillas seem to have
this concept of a friend of a friend.
283
00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:15,318
And if they know someone and there's
somebody else they don't know with them
284
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,679
because they're with that someone...
Okay.
285
00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:24,555
And before you visit gorillas, you're given
a sort of briefing in gorilla etiquette.
286
00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,076
And David absorbed it,
almost like second nature.
287
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,233
I was preparing myself to talk
about the opposable thumbs,
288
00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,914
when I felt a hand on my head...
289
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:40,235
And I turned around and there was this huge
gorilla. And she actually started, like,
290
00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,678
by putting her big forefinger
in my mouth. Like that.
291
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,394
And I thought, "This is not the moment
to talk about the opposable thumbs."
292
00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,632
And it went rather out of my mind,
really.
293
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,220
And I was, sort of, Lying there in...
294
00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:02,831
I suppose, it really was a
kind of paradise, really.
295
00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,038
Because you're being
accepted by an animal
296
00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:11,917
which was immensely powerful
and which was clearly friendly
297
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,834
and accepting you on your own terms,
as it were.
298
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,753
And there are very few animals
that you can do that with.
299
00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,336
You can't do that with lions.
You can't do that with...
300
00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,034
It's a mutual trust. - Yeah, it's
a mutual trust. - You're trusting them
301
00:22:24,098 --> 00:22:27,276
and they are trusting you.
- And David what is so extraordinary
302
00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:30,113
that this has become a sort of
emblematic moment in your career,
303
00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:36,074
it almost was not filmed at all.
- Well, john Sparks, who was the director,
304
00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:41,354
was worried about this because it might
appear to the audience that we were,
305
00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,959
as it were,
were a part of Blue Peter or something,
306
00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:50,199
and that these were tame gorillas.
And he didn't want them to appear tame.
307
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,553
But Martin saw this, it was the cameraman,
said to him after a bit, he said,
308
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,154
"We really ought to be filming it,
you know."
309
00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:01,359
And so he pressed the
button and got that footage.
310
00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,673
And, so, Ian, this was 38 years ago,
I think, that this was filmed.
311
00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:09,755
The situation then was perilous for
these gorillas, what about today?
312
00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,096
Well, then the gorillas
were at their lowest ebb.
313
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,391
We thought there were about 250
mountain gorilla in the Virungas.
314
00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,549
A few years before that footage,
a poll among school children
315
00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,429
had gorillas in there with spiders
and sharks as the scariest animals.
316
00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,874
And so having a well-known TV presenter
being accepted in a trusting way
317
00:23:27,949 --> 00:23:31,431
by a family of gorillas
transformed people's attitudes.
318
00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:36,754
The result of that was a coalition
of organisations got together
319
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,830
and things changed. Decades later, we can
say that there's a census going on right now,
320
00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,216
we're expecting there
to be nearly 1,000.
321
00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,954
So, from 250 to 1,000, not all in the
Virungas, but in the two populations.
322
00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,271
So, it's one of those rare things,
a conservation success story
323
00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:56,637
which this man played a significant role in.
- Fantastic.
324
00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,554
just before you go, do tell me,
the little baby gorillas,
325
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:12,319
did they thrive, were they fine?
- Pablo grew up to be a splendid silverback,
326
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,791
became one of the most successful
silverbacks of the study.
327
00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,556
And POPPY who is a little
younger than Pablo,
328
00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:23,110
is still with us and still producing
babies and she's one of the elders
329
00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,290
in the gorilla population.
But, yes, we follow their lives,
330
00:24:26,354 --> 00:24:28,616
it's like a never-ending soap opera.
331
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,071
And every year we learn new
things about gorilla society.
332
00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:36,153
Ian Redmond, thank you so much for
joining us tonight. Fascinating.
333
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,834
So, in the interest of BBC non-bias
334
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,956
we thought it entirely necessary that we should
hear the gorillas' side of the encounter.
335
00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:55,352
So, our friends at Aardman
Animations have lent a little hand.
336
00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,696
He was talking very quietly.
337
00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,111
And he's very tall.
Yeah, I noticed he's very tall because,
338
00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:05,397
when he's sitting down,
he's really sprawly.
339
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:12,036
But, yeah, I mean, he could get
close if he came into my space.
340
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,136
I mean,
I wouldn't let him walk all over me.
341
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,989
But, I think David
Attenborough's probably got a...
342
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:22,877
Got an empathy with nature.
And not just animals, you know,
343
00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,460
but any living things, you know.
344
00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,079
It's like he's sitting down with a mate
and he's telling you all these stories.
345
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,754
What is he?
He's not an archaeologist, is he?
346
00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:37,998
What... What's his... He's not naturist,
he doesn't go around naked, does he?
347
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,260
Does he?
348
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,235
You're not a naturist, are you?
- Why do you ask?
349
00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,036
Well, they mentioned it.
Now, David, obviously you are someone
350
00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:56,714
who is watched,
who is admired all over the world.
351
00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,430
But I'd say nowhere more
than here in Britain.
352
00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,319
Sir David,
on behalf of the whole country
353
00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,597
I want to wish you a
very happy 90th birthday.
354
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,714
Like so many, I grew up watching
you and learning from you
355
00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,953
as your enthusiasm opened my eyes
to the natural world around me.
356
00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:20,717
Your lifelong service has created the
most extraordinary educational legacy.
357
00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:24,270
And even today, you're pioneering
the latest technologies.
358
00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:29,598
Britain is incredibly proud to have
the greatest naturalist on the planet.
359
00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:35,000
For just as you treasure the world
so the world, rightly, treasures you.
360
00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,396
Thank you for all that you've given to
us and all that you're continuing to do.
361
00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:41,994
And I wish you a very special evening.
362
00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,514
David, it is surely true what
the Prime Minister says there,
363
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:55,037
you know, technology has done so
much to bring the natural world
364
00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:58,112
into people's living rooms
and into their consciousness.
365
00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,793
When you started, I mean, it's
brilliant looking at that, isn't it?
366
00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,597
I mean, the technology was so much more
difficult, I'm guessing, to work with
367
00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:10,314
cause it was so simplistic.
- Yes, but now we have absolutely everything.
368
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,696
In fact, I truly think
369
00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,878
there is almost no circumstance
that we can't film.
370
00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,949
The new thing that we're doing,
of course, about bioluminescence
371
00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:25,158
is the latest step forward.
Martin Dorne, who is the cameraman
372
00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,835
is passionate about experimenting
electronically with new cameras
373
00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:34,673
and new ways of doing things, in order to get
these shots of very bioluminescent animals.
374
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,559
And as you were saying, five years
ago that would've been impossible.
375
00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,349
Let's just remind ourselves
of the fascinating sequences
376
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:46,151
that have been captured using some of
the world's most incredible technology.
377
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,279
We really know very little of what
goes on in the heart of a bivouac,
378
00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:54,877
like this. But this optical
probe may help us find out.
379
00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,914
Here is the nursery,
full of young, developing grubs.
380
00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,296
The lions are now so at ease,
381
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:11,917
our spy in the den can often
approach to within a whisker.
382
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:18,519
Once they're thoroughly warmed up, marine
iguanas can maintain their body temperature
383
00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,114
just about as constantly as I can,
384
00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:25,956
and what's more, at about the same
level or, indeed, slightly higher.
385
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:31,477
With an EGO-degree view and
an extremely powerful lens,
386
00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,515
the camera can zoom in
from a kilometre away.
387
00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:44,114
Another revelatory film technique
involves slowing down the action
388
00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:48,713
simply by increasing the number
of images taken per second.
389
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:58,957
As the sophistication of time-lapse
photography has increased,
390
00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,839
so we've been able to show that plants
391
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,199
can be as competitive and as
aggressive as many an animal.
392
00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:24,393
So, of course, that was time-lapse that we saw
there, which I think you are a great fan of.
393
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,040
It reveals so much that
the naked eye can't see.
394
00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,397
And one of the cameramen
responsible for many of those
395
00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,154
really magical films
is called Tim Shepherd.
396
00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,198
You've described him as a genius,
no less.
397
00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:42,074
We've got a new sequence here which Tim
has made especially for you this evening.
398
00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,660
For me?
- For you.
399
00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:16,900
Beautiful.
400
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,660
Nice, huh?
401
00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:28,195
Thank you very much, Tim. Yeah.
- Whilst we are on the subject of technology,
402
00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,436
talking,
doing pieces to camera under water
403
00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:33,816
is surely one of the
trickiest things to pull off.
404
00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,793
Maybe the bubble helmet
was going to be the answer.
405
00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,112
Yes, it's a hideous memory to me.
I'm sorry to see it again.
406
00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:43,033
It's a long time ago now,
407
00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,871
having been talking to camera
on land for a long time.
408
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:50,510
There was a new series about the,
under water,
409
00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:56,309
which was being produced by a friend of mine
called Alastair Fothergill who was the director.
410
00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:01,839
And he explained that if I was going to be a
narrator it was going to be quite difficult.
411
00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,416
I could do it sitting on the ship,
of course, on the boat.
412
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:09,392
But how was I going to talk about coral
or sharks or whatever, under water?
413
00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:14,639
Alastair said, "I've got a great idea.
"We've got a new technological thing,
414
00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:20,509
"it's called the bubble helmet. "See? And what
we do is that you put that on your shoulders
415
00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:24,734
"and screw it down
"and then you'll be able to talk
416
00:31:24,820 --> 00:31:27,105
"cause there's a microphone in there."
And I said,
417
00:31:27,169 --> 00:31:29,669
"It doesn't seem a very good idea to me,
at all."
418
00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:32,736
And I said, "What's all this
business of screwing it down?
419
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:35,913
He said, "Well, you've got to screw
it down "cause otherwise it'll leak."
420
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,833
I was, "That's all very well,
but how are we going to get it off?"
421
00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,958
"Oh, we'll be able to get it off in,
you know, five minutes or so."
422
00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,069
I said, "Five minutes is a very long
time, especially if it goes wrong."
423
00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:47,443
He said, "It won't go wrong.
"But I'll tell you what,
424
00:31:47,507 --> 00:31:51,273
if you're nervous about it, we'll test
it." This was when we were gonna film
425
00:31:51,337 --> 00:31:54,359
electric eels in the Amazon and
I was gonna talk about them.
426
00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,115
"We'll do it in the hotel
swimming pool," he said.
427
00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,616
So, he put this on my shoulders.
428
00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:04,116
Well, getting your head inside
that is not easy actually, see?
429
00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,700
Your nose gets caught.
- Oh. Yes, yes.
430
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:12,639
And when you screw that down on the...
You really do feel trapped.
431
00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,793
So, I waded into the pool
and then very gingerly,
432
00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:20,111
sort of, submerged myself,
and water started coming in.
433
00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,199
And I thought, "It takes about
five minutes to get this off."
434
00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:27,480
So I came out in a hurry.
And Alastair said, "What's the matter?"
435
00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,536
You know how directors are. Yeah.
- Oh, yes.
436
00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:35,237
"What's your problem?"
I said, "It is full of water."
437
00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,030
So he said, "Well,
you must be doing something wrong."
438
00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:44,795
I said, "I just walked into the
pool and it's filled with water."
439
00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,918
He said, "I'll show you."
So he took it. He put it on.
440
00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:53,793
And I had some pleasure in screwing
it down. I said, "Go on in there."
441
00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,759
He went in there, he came up
quicker than me, with water...
442
00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,150
And he took it off and he said, "There must be
a fault." I said, "Well, thank you very much."
443
00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:05,432
So, we then... We then partly decided
that, actually, we wouldn't use it.
444
00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:09,036
Of course, when you're
filming in the great outdoors,
445
00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,397
even with sometimes the
most hi-tech equipment,
446
00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,918
as we just heard,
things don't always go to plan.
447
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,470
Because this snow is not white...
448
00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,830
Red and black, venom lack.
449
00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,552
Red and yellow,
and I get out of the way.
450
00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:40,511
The volcanoes of today
are mere feeble flick...
451
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,638
The influence of this
continent is global.
452
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,700
What happens here matters.
453
00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,060
That's the first time I've
ever known you do that.
454
00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:01,035
They reunite once they come back here
455
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,620
onto their own patch of shingle.
456
00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,395
It's so effective,
that even a rich woodland like this
457
00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,020
can seem totally devoid of birds.
458
00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,831
But that,
that's a completely different sound.
459
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,420
That's an aeroplane.
460
00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:24,677
He is so charged up,
this being the breeding season,
461
00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:30,076
that he'll display,
to almost anything, including me.
462
00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:34,230
No doubt. This, surely...
463
00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,353
This surely is one...
464
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:47,672
When it came to allocate a scientific
name to this bird, called it...
465
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,060
Paradisaea apoda.
466
00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,713
Even when things threaten to
get a bit frisky and dangerous,
467
00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:10,511
you always look relatively calm. When
you've been filming, when has been the time
468
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:13,926
when you've thought, "I really need to get out of
here." Has there been a moment when you thought,
469
00:35:13,952 --> 00:35:16,553
"This is actually a danger to my life",
with a wild animal?
470
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:22,552
Well, I was with one chap who was
an expert in elephants and rhinos,
471
00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:27,275
and we were driving along and...
472
00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,673
He suddenly lent over to me and said,
"Do you hear that?"
473
00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,435
And I said, "What?" He said, "Well, there
was "a pitter-patter, Didn't you hear that?"
474
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:37,110
I said, "No, what was it?"
He said, "We were charged by a rhino."
475
00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:41,399
I said, "Were we?" He said, "Oh, yes,
yes, but it was a dummy charge."
476
00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,836
I said, "Was it?" He said,
"I'll show you." He put in reverse.
477
00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:48,879
I said, "No need,
I'll absolutely take your word for it."
478
00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,520
He said, "No, no, no, no."
So he reversed.
479
00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:55,389
And a rhino came out of the
bush at about 40 miles an hour
480
00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:59,189
and hit the back of the
Land Rover with its horn,
481
00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,955
lifted up the back end of
the Land Rover and shook it.
482
00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:06,271
And then retreated and came back
and dealt with the back wheels,
483
00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:10,517
ripped up the tyres and all that. I said,
"That was a hell of a dummy charge."
484
00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:17,392
And completely wrecked the Land Rover,
actually. Yes, that was quite dangerous.
485
00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:21,318
David, let's take a look
at a very touching moment.
486
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,911
It was filmed just a few years
ago for the series Africa.
487
00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:28,591
You met this little baby rhino called
Nicky, you'll remember, of course.
488
00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:33,874
And what was remarkable about this
little rhino is that he was blind.
489
00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:40,511
But, just as we think we're finishing,
someone won't let us go.
490
00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,740
Hello, little fellow.
491
00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,871
He starts to squeak.
And we're able to have a little chat.
492
00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,274
Think about it,
he's got a black world, doesn't he?
493
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:13,152
And he's got smell. And he's got sounds.
494
00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:18,312
So, he's more likely to be responding
to sound if he hasn't got the vision.
495
00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:22,198
And just inquisitive, I suppose.
Are you coming back?
496
00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,096
just remarkable.
Well, joining us in the studio now
497
00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:44,720
from the Lewa Wildlife
Conservancy in Kenya
498
00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,515
where those moments were filmed
is Sarah Watson. Sarah, welcome.
499
00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,718
Tell us a little bit about this
remarkable little creature's background,
500
00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:00,038
about Nicky. - Well, he is blind.
And we realised that he was, you know,
501
00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:03,670
black rhino quite early on, sort of,
when they're about one or two weeks old
502
00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,320
are meant to follow their mothers
out and about in the bush,
503
00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,831
but he wasn't doing that.
So, it was at that point we thought,
504
00:38:09,895 --> 00:38:12,710
actually, we got to bring him in.
So the guys brought him in
505
00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,239
and I've got a big boa at the back
of my house where these rhino live,
506
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:20,276
and he became part of the family. We got
him when he was three-and-a-half months old,
507
00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:23,591
and, yeah, he's still with us.
He's now three and a half.
508
00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:25,976
David,
so much of the programming that you make
509
00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:28,456
is so meticulously planned,
it has to be,
510
00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:33,280
by virtue of the scale and the complexity of
it. And yet, it is so often those moments,
511
00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,159
the moments that just seem to unfold,
512
00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:40,359
and that you are so capable of
taking us on this little journey
513
00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:42,736
through this moment of magic.
514
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:46,156
Watching that, the whole thing
feels remarkably emotional,
515
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:49,678
and I'm just watching it on TV.
When you were there doing it,
516
00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:53,756
are your emotions involved when
you're filming something like that?
517
00:38:53,840 --> 00:38:56,912
Oh, well, that is such an
endearing little creature.
518
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,753
And the fact that he couldn't see...
- Hmm.
519
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,798
...brought out a sympathy in one.
520
00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:05,520
And then he suddenly
started talking to me.
521
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,896
He had a long chat, yeah.
- Yeah, we had a long chat.
522
00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:11,476
I'm not absolutely sure what I said,
or what he said in reply.
523
00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:15,113
But you actually took the words out
of my mouth. Can you speak rhino?
524
00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:20,753
So you were just... You were just chatting.
- Yes, I was just responding to his noise.
525
00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:23,480
But, yeah, a charming creature.
Really lovely.
526
00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:27,554
I wonder what you think is
the most important factor
527
00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,473
in protecting endangered
species like Nicky the rhino.
528
00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:35,277
And, actually, endangered species, more
generally. What should our approach be?
529
00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:41,709
Well, the rhinos, as you say, is a
special problem because of poaching.
530
00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:44,997
And poaching is a huge problem,
worldwide.
531
00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:50,473
So we have to develop a sympathy
for the natural world, everywhere.
532
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:53,951
And, actually, I think that's one of
the things that television can do,
533
00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:57,874
that natural history programmes can do.
I mean, it's a bizarre thing, isn't it?
534
00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:00,793
You know, there are more
people living on earth today
535
00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,793
than there have ever been in
the history of the universe.
536
00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:07,999
I mean, there are three times more
many people on this planet now
537
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,720
than when I started making those
programmes back in the '50s.
538
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,394
And they all need places
to live and so on.
539
00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,400
Of course they do. But if we go on
increasing at that sort of rate,
540
00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:22,440
there won't be any wilderness left. And
there are other creatures on the earth
541
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:27,675
that also call this planet home.
And we have the responsibility for them.
542
00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:30,752
So what we have to do is,
is to give them the space,
543
00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:34,390
to give them the natural
reserves where they can flourish,
544
00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:38,230
which is their right.
- Sarah, you work hard at giving them the space
545
00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,551
and you were saying now that Nicky
is a big, relatively healthy boy now.
546
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:45,838
How's he getting on? - No, he's thriving.
He's an extraordinary animal.
547
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:50,315
There he is. - I mean, I know I'm bias.
A lot of it is because he is blind.
548
00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:52,776
But his other senses
are very heightened.
549
00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:55,400
I mean,
he knows my smell and he knows my voice
550
00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:57,976
and so he sees me, he basically
rolls over a bit like a Labrador.
551
00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,479
He knows he's gonna get de-ticked.
He thinks it's heaven.
552
00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:04,518
But he represents 1/5000th
553
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:07,240
of the remaining population
of black rhino in the world.
554
00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:12,950
So his job is gonna be an ambassador. And
through people like David, who, you know,
555
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:17,118
the fact that everyone I know has seen that
clip and I'm like, "Yeah, that was my rhino."
556
00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:23,316
But if we can just get a little bit
of the message out, it's a start.
557
00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:27,079
Sarah, thank you very much indeed
for joining us this evening. - Pleasure.
558
00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:39,077
Just before we move on, let's hear from
another, rather special conservationist
559
00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:44,237
who's been inspired by your work.
- David has been the single most
560
00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:49,555
important impact in my conservation
thinking. And I used to love...
561
00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:51,923
And I still do,
but when I was a young boy,
562
00:41:51,987 --> 00:41:54,831
I used to love turning on the television
and watching David's programmes
563
00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,959
and really feeling like I
was either back out in Africa
564
00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:04,672
or I was learning about something
magical and almost out of this planet.
565
00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,354
And there's something very calming
566
00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:13,749
and, sort of, warm about his programmes.
There's something very reassuring about
567
00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:16,832
seeing David Attenborough on
BBC One doing his documentaries.
568
00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:21,597
It's part of the national psyche
now and he's a national treasure.
569
00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:24,274
And it's very fitting that
he's having his 90th birthday
570
00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:28,285
only a few weeks after the Queen.
Two incredible national treasures
571
00:42:28,349 --> 00:42:30,849
who have done so much over the years.
572
00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:41,759
So, His Royal Highness there
talking so genuinely about,
573
00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:45,075
you know, turning on the telly when he
was a little boy, and seeing you there.
574
00:42:45,160 --> 00:42:48,919
And that is something that's familiar
to all of us here in this audience.
575
00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,436
I'm interested, though, for you,
when you were a little boy,
576
00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:56,749
what turned you onto natural history?
Where did it begin for you?
577
00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:00,231
By and large, there were two things. First of
all, there was the Leicestershire countryside.
578
00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:06,791
Yeah - Which is where I grew up. And apart
from that, there were wonderful books.
579
00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:09,394
One of the one which
I don't think anybody,
580
00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:14,275
or very few people know about him now,
a man called Ernest Thompson Seaton.
581
00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:18,069
He was ranger in the Canadian Prairie.
582
00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:22,436
And he wrote about the animals that he
knew, the wolves and the buffalo, and so on.
583
00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:25,558
And they had... He drew...
He was a good artist as well.
584
00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:29,031
He drew the little footprints
down the side margins.
585
00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:31,714
I adored those books.
Wept over them, too.
586
00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:35,037
And what about... There you are, look
at you in your little Fair Isle socks.
587
00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:37,620
What about the influence...
588
00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:42,634
You're not... You're not still wearing them.
What about the influence of your parents?
589
00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:48,396
I mean, were they interested in the natural world?
- No, my father was a scholar, an academic.
590
00:43:48,480 --> 00:43:51,916
And an expert on Anglo-Saxons.
- Right.
591
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:55,914
But he understood about education.
592
00:43:56,000 --> 00:44:01,673
And he said to each of his three sons,
you know, "What is it you want to do?"
593
00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:06,277
And when I said that I wanted to
do something to do with animals,
594
00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,920
he didn't say, or fossils,
595
00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:12,311
he didn't say, "Well, the name of
that is this or that or the other."
596
00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:14,994
In any case, he didn't know.
But what he did say was,
597
00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,336
look, there are ways of
finding out about that.
598
00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,960
You can go to the museum,
they'll tell you about that.
599
00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:22,496
And there's some good books,
and you can read about that.
600
00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:24,896
And so he encouraged us
to find out for ourselves.
601
00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:29,113
At 1945, you won a place at
Clare College, Cambridge,
602
00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:32,272
to read geology and zoology.
603
00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:35,000
Now, you got it on a scholarship.
- Yes.
604
00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,376
That's a blinking big deal,
when you get a scholarship.
605
00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:39,736
What do you remember of
the moment of finding out?
606
00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:42,394
My father said, "Look,
if you want to go to Cambridge,
607
00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:45,791
"you have to get a scholarship
because I can't afford it."
608
00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:49,999
Right.
- And so, I worked pretty hard
609
00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:54,039
to try to get the scholarship
which colleges gave.
610
00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,272
And I remember it was during the war,
611
00:44:57,360 --> 00:45:00,512
and my father was...
I was digging an allotment.
612
00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:03,877
My father came running down
from the house where we lived,
613
00:45:03,960 --> 00:45:07,612
waving a telegram and saying
"You've got it, my son, you've got!"
614
00:45:07,700 --> 00:45:09,976
Remarkable.
- And I was off to Cambridge.
615
00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:13,032
When you were working on the
natural history programmes,
616
00:45:13,120 --> 00:45:17,553
it also became, did it not,
something of a routine for you to...
617
00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:20,096
I mean to bring your work home?
Not to put too fine a point on it.
618
00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:23,712
The house was full of animals, wasn't it?
- We had a whole host of different things,
619
00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:26,599
all of which would be...
Wouldn't be allowed by law now.
620
00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:30,196
But I had...
There were lemurs, oh, lungfish,
621
00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:33,034
parrots, hummingbirds,
all sorts of things.
622
00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:36,272
One of my favourites was a
little pair of bush babies.
623
00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:39,714
You know, bush babies, they're like...
- Yes. - like tiny little monkeys about that big.
624
00:45:39,778 --> 00:45:43,558
Primitive monkeys. And what the male
does in order to establish his home
625
00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:48,834
and make him feel good and, you know,
thinking we might produce some kids,
626
00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:51,176
would be to pee on his hands.
627
00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:55,954
He would pee on his hands, like that, you
see, rub them together, and then go over,
628
00:45:56,040 --> 00:45:58,600
all over the furniture
and all up the walls
629
00:45:58,680 --> 00:46:01,240
as well as his hollow log
and everything else you see,
630
00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:04,233
which gave a nice,
a nice homely atmosphere, you know.
631
00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:09,156
But then, friends would come to dinner
632
00:46:09,240 --> 00:46:14,394
and I'd open the door and I'd
see the wife of the friend's
633
00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:19,110
dilate her nostrils, you know.
"That is not mulligatawny soup."
634
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:24,359
You know, and so a bit of a
problem there but, in fact,
635
00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:27,956
we had I think about 14
births of these little babies.
636
00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:31,914
Did you? - Oh, we did.
And I tell you, a baby bush baby...
637
00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:38,198
It's time now to welcome another
guest. Joining us to share with us
638
00:46:38,262 --> 00:46:40,536
his own treasures of the natural world
639
00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:44,070
is a fellow passionist,
naturalist, conservationist,
640
00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:46,674
and collector extraordinaire,
it has to be said, David,
641
00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:49,260
please welcome Chris Packham.
642
00:46:54,160 --> 00:46:58,194
Welcome, thanks for coming. Nice to see you.
- Hello, David.
643
00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:04,880
Chris, and I said you're a
collector extraordinaire,
644
00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:07,634
just you've brought some treasures. Show
us one of the pieces you've brought.
645
00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:11,189
I have, look at this, I mean, there's
always a romance in these sorts of things.
646
00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:14,318
This is a fossil shark tooth,
a megalodon tooth,
647
00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:16,656
which belonged to an
extinct species now,
648
00:47:16,720 --> 00:47:19,872
many times the size of a great white.
649
00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:23,715
But when I handle that, I can't help but
650
00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:26,519
try and transport myself back in time
651
00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:29,194
to imagine the world that
this animal was living in.
652
00:47:29,280 --> 00:47:31,950
And, at the same time, I mean look at
the... It's just perfect, isn't it,
653
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:34,376
when you run your finger
along that serrated edge.
654
00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:38,072
You've got to have that in your drawer,
haven't you? - You have.
655
00:47:38,920 --> 00:47:41,594
I was gonna say, "Are you impressed?"
- You call that...?
656
00:47:52,760 --> 00:47:55,474
Yeah.
- I want it back. - Yes. All right.
657
00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:58,270
We won't mix them up. Yours is cream,
mine is black. What a beauty.
658
00:47:58,429 --> 00:48:00,871
What a beautiful thing that is.
- Amazing.
659
00:48:00,935 --> 00:48:03,835
But there is this,
competitive thing about collecting
660
00:48:03,920 --> 00:48:07,598
which we won't go into.
- No. - But there... - We don't need to.
661
00:48:07,680 --> 00:48:12,276
But I have got the biggest.
- I was gonna say, boys will be boys.
662
00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:17,300
Do you know what this is?
- Let's have a look.
663
00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:21,313
Yeah. Yeah, I do.
I do know what it is, yeah.
664
00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:25,477
It's been inside a dinosaur.
It's a gastrolith, isn't it? - It is.
665
00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:28,016
So, this is a stone which it swallowed,
666
00:48:28,080 --> 00:48:30,416
I presume we don't know
which species but...
667
00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:33,830
I do.
- You do? It came from the carcass, did it?
668
00:48:33,920 --> 00:48:36,639
I don't know which species?
669
00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:41,440
How very daring, Chris Packham.
- Well, yes.
670
00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:44,819
But we can't tell from the stone, which species.
- That's better. - But you'll know
671
00:48:44,900 --> 00:48:47,136
if you found it in association
with the rest of the fossil.
672
00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:50,518
I did. I did. - Well, go on then.
- Don't tell me it's a T-rex gastrolith.
673
00:48:50,600 --> 00:48:55,190
It's a Seismosaurus. - Oh, Seismosaurus.
- A Seismosaurus, which at the time
674
00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:57,874
was the biggest known dinosaur,
which it isn't any more, of course,
675
00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:01,351
but at the time it was,
and I went to the excavation.
676
00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:04,239
And you have this near-complete
677
00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:07,676
skeleton with the back
bone and the ribs,
678
00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:11,071
and there between the ribs,
in the position of the stomach,
679
00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:14,710
was like, half a sack load of pebbles.
680
00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:18,791
But if you look at it, you can see that it's
got an extremely high polish, doesn't it?
681
00:49:18,880 --> 00:49:22,077
It's beautifully polished and
this was polished inside the gut
682
00:49:22,160 --> 00:49:27,073
of a giant dinosaur. I mean, there isn't
anything better than that, is there?
683
00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:29,660
It really is a lovely...
- That... Hey! Hey!
684
00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:35,438
David, do tell me about this splendid
thing here and how you came upon it.
685
00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:38,020
Yes. Yes, well,
I've got the biggest tooth there.
686
00:49:40,080 --> 00:49:42,700
And you haven't got a bigger bird's
egg than that, do you? - No,
687
00:49:42,764 --> 00:49:46,354
I haven't. And that one, I've seen
many of these. That on is pretty good.
688
00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:48,936
It was broken but it's
put together very well.
689
00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:52,595
In fact, let's just see the
moments on film, it was captured,
690
00:49:52,680 --> 00:49:55,180
when you found this and
put this egg together.
691
00:49:55,760 --> 00:50:00,757
The best method of starting seemed to be the same
as you use when you begin on a jigsaw puzzle.
692
00:50:01,440 --> 00:50:04,193
To lay out everything,
face up, on the ground.
693
00:50:04,760 --> 00:50:08,512
To fasten them temporarily,
I used adhesive tape.
694
00:50:10,240 --> 00:50:14,279
The egg began to appear even
bigger than I had imagined.
695
00:50:16,520 --> 00:50:19,672
At the end of an hour I had two halves.
696
00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:25,477
And to my joy,
they fitted together perfectly.
697
00:50:32,440 --> 00:50:36,115
All I have to do is say, thank you
for bringing your wonderful treasures,
698
00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:38,919
Chris Packham.
- Thank you.
699
00:50:43,240 --> 00:50:47,598
David, its time now to hear from
a very good friend of yours.
700
00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:53,954
Dame Jane Goodall. - David Attenborough
has inspired millions of young people
701
00:50:54,040 --> 00:50:58,910
to become interested and
sometimes even to take up careers
702
00:50:59,000 --> 00:51:03,793
in some aspect of learning about the
natural world, protecting the natural world.
703
00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:09,150
And he's got an amazing
ability to get people involved.
704
00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:13,878
I remember watching,, one programme
705
00:51:13,960 --> 00:51:17,078
and he's after some very rare frog,
706
00:51:17,160 --> 00:51:21,916
and, finally, you see on the
screen a shaking water lily leaf.
707
00:51:22,000 --> 00:51:26,198
And with that breathless voice
he turns to the camera and says,
708
00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:28,736
"The frog was sitting
there a minute ago."
709
00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:31,792
Nobody else could get away with that.
710
00:51:41,080 --> 00:51:44,717
Well, probably one of the highest tributes
for anyone working in the natural world
711
00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:47,599
is to have a newly discovered
species named after them.
712
00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:52,038
In fact, David, I know you have quite
a number already named after you.
713
00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:57,714
It's your birthday, so one of the
world's foremost drag only experts
714
00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:02,030
wanted to give you a little gift.
Here is Klaas-Douwe Dijkstra.
715
00:52:02,760 --> 00:52:05,513
On your 90th birthday I want to wish you
716
00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:09,275
not only many more years of
good health and of broadcasting
717
00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:11,860
but I wish everyone more of you.
718
00:52:13,160 --> 00:52:16,118
And to thank you,
I've named together with colleagues
719
00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:18,700
a dragonfly in your honour.
720
00:52:18,840 --> 00:52:23,714
Acisoma attenboroughi.
Your new dragonfly is from Madagascar
721
00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:29,552
and I'm happy to report that your
dragonfly is actually very common.
722
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:34,150
Every farmer can find it in their paddy.
Every fisherman can see it in his pond.
723
00:52:34,240 --> 00:52:37,198
Every schoolchild can
find it in the yard.
724
00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:40,759
It simply is another one of
those species that is unique
725
00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:43,340
but no one noticed that it was.
726
00:52:43,600 --> 00:52:46,991
But now, people can go out
there and say, "Hey look,
727
00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:51,032
"that is Sir David's dragonfly."
Thank you, and happy birthday.
728
00:52:52,040 --> 00:52:54,749
That's very nice.
- And here it is.
729
00:52:57,960 --> 00:53:00,918
There it is, David.
A very special little birthday gift.
730
00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:03,500
Acisoma attenboroughi. Rather beautiful.
731
00:53:03,960 --> 00:53:06,873
Don't you think?
- I think it's stunningly beautiful.
732
00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:09,793
Dragonflies are magical insects,
aren't they?
733
00:53:10,200 --> 00:53:14,114
You know,
they date back for 300 million years.
734
00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:16,760
Just like that, yeah. What a thrill.
- Extraordinary.
735
00:53:16,840 --> 00:53:19,912
As we said when we began
talking this evening,
736
00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:22,514
you are still filming
all over the world,
737
00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:26,036
indeed, you're doing Planet Earth
I] which is a big new series.
738
00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:29,570
Well, Planet Earth H,
when the idea was put up
739
00:53:29,660 --> 00:53:31,896
people said, you've done it all.
740
00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:34,474
But the fact is that when
you really start researching,
741
00:53:34,560 --> 00:53:37,632
you find things that
you haven't done at all.
742
00:53:37,720 --> 00:53:40,216
It's going to be thrilling,
new and exciting.
743
00:53:40,280 --> 00:53:42,536
Incredible. So,
so much more of that to look forward to,
744
00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:45,956
and we are almost out of time tonight,
but before we go
745
00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:48,998
here are a few more
happy birthday messages.
746
00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:53,792
Sir David Attenborough,
we love having you on the show,
747
00:53:53,880 --> 00:53:56,713
and beyond that I'd just like to say,
thank you.
748
00:53:56,800 --> 00:54:00,714
Thank you for everything you've
done on television over the years.
749
00:54:00,800 --> 00:54:03,105
You've really changed this country
750
00:54:03,169 --> 00:54:07,118
and given us such an extraordinary
awareness of the world around us.
751
00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:12,152
Have a very happy birthday.
- Happy 90th birthday, David Attenborough.
752
00:54:12,240 --> 00:54:14,496
I've grown up watching your films
753
00:54:14,560 --> 00:54:17,393
and now my children have
grown up watching your films
754
00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:21,713
and I'm very proud to have been on
this Earth as the same time as you.
755
00:54:22,360 --> 00:54:25,318
Sir David,
this is Sting behind this beard.
756
00:54:25,400 --> 00:54:28,392
I'm somewhere in the Tundra.
I've been a fan of yours since
757
00:54:28,480 --> 00:54:31,757
your search for the Komodo dragon,
I think in 1956.
758
00:54:31,840 --> 00:54:36,640
You've been an inspiration and a wonder to
me. Happy birthday and many happy returns.
759
00:54:36,720 --> 00:54:40,714
Thank you so much for the
many years of inspirational,
760
00:54:40,800 --> 00:54:43,792
motivational and
ground-breaking television,
761
00:54:43,880 --> 00:54:46,440
for spurring me and millions of others
762
00:54:46,520 --> 00:54:49,558
to want to be better
custodians of the planet.
763
00:54:49,640 --> 00:54:52,280
From me and the hundreds of
thousands of other people
764
00:54:52,360 --> 00:54:56,396
who've been inspired to go out, buy a
pair of jungle boots and some camouflage
765
00:54:56,480 --> 00:55:00,955
and maybe a blue shirt, thank you. Thank
you so much for all you've given us
766
00:55:01,040 --> 00:55:03,793
and a very, very happy birthday.
767
00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:09,879
Happy Birthday, David!
- From all of us here on the Springwatch team.
768
00:55:09,960 --> 00:55:13,032
Sir David, it is an absolute honour
769
00:55:13,120 --> 00:55:15,456
for me to be able to
wish you a happy birthday
770
00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:19,036
and also to thank you from
the bottom of my heart
771
00:55:19,120 --> 00:55:24,631
for all your brilliant programmes. You
must pause to reflect on this special day,
772
00:55:24,720 --> 00:55:27,872
on the incredible impact that
you've had around the world.
773
00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:33,471
You are an absolute legend and have changed
the face of conservation for the future.
774
00:55:33,560 --> 00:55:36,200
I wish you a very happy
birthday on this milestone day.
775
00:55:36,640 --> 00:55:40,153
You're fantastic, you're such a hero.
You've been such an inspiration.
776
00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:43,392
Not only to all of us,
but more specially to me.
777
00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:47,678
You go on forever, and I hope you do
778
00:55:47,760 --> 00:55:51,679
because you are priceless.
Happy birthday.
779
00:56:02,120 --> 00:56:05,397
So, we know you keep making
these extraordinary programmes
780
00:56:05,480 --> 00:56:08,199
that we all love so much,
and thank goodness for that.
781
00:56:08,280 --> 00:56:12,840
You're not taking your foot of the gas. But
I wonder, it is... It's hard work filming.
782
00:56:12,920 --> 00:56:16,005
It's really hard work.
What is it that inspires you
783
00:56:16,069 --> 00:56:19,031
to get up every morning
and go and work so hard.
784
00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:22,518
Making programmes is just huge fun.
785
00:56:22,600 --> 00:56:25,114
I mean, not only go to exciting places,
786
00:56:25,200 --> 00:56:27,496
do exciting things, you do it with pals.
787
00:56:27,560 --> 00:56:30,598
You do it with people, you know,
who are a joy to work with.
788
00:56:30,680 --> 00:56:35,558
And making programmes is, as you know,
I mean, they're very much a team thing.
789
00:56:36,040 --> 00:56:41,035
And I feel constantly embarrassed
about the amount of credit I get
790
00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:44,431
for the amount of work that many,
many other people are actually,
791
00:56:44,520 --> 00:56:49,209
in fact, doing. So, I've had a
singularly, unbelievably fortunate time.
792
00:56:49,300 --> 00:56:51,580
Well, I'm afraid I might
embarrass you a little more,
793
00:56:51,644 --> 00:56:54,159
because I'm going to say, on behalf
of not just everybody in the studio,
794
00:56:54,240 --> 00:56:57,198
but on behalf of everybody
watching at home,
795
00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:00,557
and the hundreds of millions
of people around the world
796
00:57:00,640 --> 00:57:03,792
who love, from the bottom of
their hearts, what you do.
797
00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:07,912
Thank you for doing it, and happy birthday.
- Thank you very much indeed.
798
00:57:10,480 --> 00:57:13,958
Happy birthday.
- Thank you. Thank you very much.
799
00:57:18,580 --> 00:57:20,856
Thank you.
800
00:57:20,920 --> 00:57:24,072
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
801
00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:28,860
Thank you very much.
78557
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