Sir David Attenborough’s passion for animals is as well-known as his trademark narration, but it turns out the “Renaissance man”, who is marking his 100th birthday, has knowledge in other areas, too
A producer who’s worked with David Attenborough says there’s a “whole side” to him that the public doesn’t know about. David, who turns 100 today (Friday, May 8), has been a beloved fixture on our screens for more than 70 years — from Zoo Quest and The People of Paradise in the 1950s and 60s, to 2026’s A Gorilla Story.
A champion of the natural world, David’s passion and advocacy for animals is as as well-known as his soothingly distinctive voice. And it seems “Renaissance man” David’s knowledge extends to other things, too.
It’s safe to say that TV producer Alastair Fothergill knows a thing or two about the broadcaster, having worked on such celebrated documentaries as The Blue Planet and Planet Earth.
According to him, David doesn’t wear his “emotions on his sleeve”, in keeping with what he described as the “tradition of most males” from the naturalist’s generation, after spending time chatting to the TV legend around the campfire.
Alastair wrote in The Sunday Telegraph: “We would play a bit of chess, and David has an amazing knowledge of music. In the old days, he used to bring Tupperware boxes full of CDs.
“He is a real Renaissance man. He has a huge collection of Africana, and he was a trustee in the British Museum. There’s a whole side of David that people don’t know. That makes him amazingly good company – he’s a very good storyteller.
“On location, he always used to say: ‘Have you heard this one before?’ And sometimes some of us had, because we’d worked with him a lot; but often people we were filming with never had, and we’d let him tell us again anyway, because he’s so good at it.”
It comes after David opened up about a dietary choice he’s made, as he addressed “health and longevity”. He’s discussed his diet as far back as 2017, saying: “I have certainly changed my diet. Not in a great sort of dramatic way. But I don’t think I’ve eaten red meat for months.”
David said he still ate cheese and fish, but had “become much more vegetarian” than he expected. He added: “There is clear science behind the benefits of adopting a more plant-based diet when it comes to overall health and longevity.”
A film producer who also worked with David has described how influential the naturalist has been on his career. Joe Loncraine told BBC Breakfast: “It’s immeasurable really.
“I remember watching Trials of Life, which was one of the first series I used to watch with my mum, and then everything that came after that, that was in the early 90s.
“Personally, and then from the degree I chose to do, to the career I went into, and then actually in my career, working with him has been really good fun as well as an amazing experience because he’s brilliant to work with.”
Catch David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth on BBC One tonight (Friday, May 8), from 8.30pm to 10pm.
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