Career Timeline of David Attenborough: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of David Attenborough, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Sir David Attenborough is a highly influential British broadcaster, biologist, natural historian, and author. He is most renowned for his groundbreaking nature documentary series, the 'Life' collection, produced in collaboration with the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. These comprehensive series offer an extensive exploration of animal and plant life across the globe. Attenborough's work has significantly raised awareness of environmental issues and the importance of conservation, making him a leading voice in promoting understanding and appreciation for the natural world.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1950: Applied for BBC Radio Job

In 1950, after becoming disillusioned with editing science textbooks, David Attenborough applied for a job as a radio talk producer with the BBC, but was initially rejected.

1952: Joined BBC Full-Time

In 1952, David Attenborough joined the BBC full-time as a producer for the Talks department, working on programs like Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? and Song Hunter.

1954: Host of Zoo Quest

In 1954, David Attenborough first became prominent as the host of Zoo Quest. His filmography has since spanned eight decades and includes numerous nature documentaries.

1957: Declined joining the BBC Natural History Unit

In 1957, David Attenborough declined an invitation to join the newly established BBC Natural History Unit, opting to form his own Travel and Exploration Unit in London instead.

1957: Filming at the Great Barrier Reef

In 1957, David Attenborough filmed at the Great Barrier Reef for the first time.

1964: BBC Two Launched

In 1964, BBC Two was launched, and David Attenborough later became its controller. As controller, he diversified the channel's output.

March 1965: Controller of BBC Two

In March 1965, David Attenborough became the Controller of BBC Two, succeeding Michael Peacock.

1969: Civilisation Broadcast to Acclaim

In 1969, Civilisation, a 13-part series on Western art, was broadcast to universal acclaim, setting a blueprint for landmark authored documentaries.

1969: Created The World About Us

In 1969, David Attenborough created The World About Us, as a vehicle for colour television.

1969: Filmed Elephants in Tanzania and Bali Series

In 1969, David Attenborough filmed elephants in Tanzania and created a three-part series on the cultural history of Bali.

1969: Promoted to Director of Programmes

In 1969, David Attenborough was promoted to director of programmes, making him responsible for the output of both BBC channels.

1971: Filmed A Blank on the Map

In 1971, David Attenborough joined the first Western expedition to a remote highland valley in New Guinea for the film A Blank on the Map.

1972: Consideration for Director-General

In 1972, David Attenborough's name was suggested as a candidate for Director-General of the BBC, but he had no interest in the job.

1973: Eastwards with Attenborough

In 1973, David Attenborough created the series Eastwards with Attenborough after resigning from his post at the BBC.

1975: Projects on Tribal Art, Voyages of Discovery and Cryptozoology

In 1975, David Attenborough presented a series on tribal art (The Tribal Eye), voyages of discovery (The Explorers), and a children's series about cryptozoology (Fabulous Animals).

1976: Life on Earth Production Begins

In 1976, after the BBC signed a co-production deal with Turner Broadcasting, production began on Life on Earth.

1977: Narrated Wildlife on One

In 1977, David Attenborough narrated the first episode of "Wildlife on One", a BBC One wildlife series.

1979: Life on Earth Launches Life Strand of Documentaries

David Attenborough's most influential work, 1979's Life on Earth, launched a strand of nine authored documentaries with the BBC Natural History Unit which shared the Life strand name and spanned 30 years.

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1979: Reported on China's One-Child Policy

In 1979, David Attenborough visited China and reported to the West for the first time about China's one-child policy.

1979: Life on Earth Release

In 1979, Life on Earth was released, establishing a benchmark of quality in wildlife film-making and influencing a generation of documentary film-makers.

1987: The First Eden

In 1987, David Attenborough wrote and presented "The First Eden", a series on man's influence on the natural history of the Mediterranean Basin.

1990: Prisoners of Conscience Series

In 1990, David Attenborough worked on the BBC's "Prisoners of Conscience" series, highlighting the case of Sudanese poet Mahjoub Sharif.

1990: Release of The Trials of Life

In 1990, The Trials of Life was released, completing the original Life trilogy. It looked at animal behaviour through the different stages of life.

1993: Life in the Freezer

In 1993, David Attenborough presented Life in the Freezer, the first television series to survey the natural history of Antarctica.

1995: The Private Life of Plants

In 1995, David Attenborough presented The Private Life of Plants, which showed plants as dynamic organisms using time-lapse photography and earned a Peabody Award.

1997: Narrated BBC Wildlife Specials

In 1997, David Attenborough narrated the BBC Wildlife Specials, each focusing on a charismatic species, which were screened to mark the Natural History Unit's 40th anniversary.

1998: The Life of Birds

In 1998, David Attenborough created "The Life of Birds", deciding to focus on bird behaviour as he considered himself neither a birdwatcher nor an expert. The documentary series later won a Peabody Award.

2000: State of the Planet

In 2000, David Attenborough released "State of the Planet", using scientific evidence and interviews to assess human impact on the natural world.

2001: Narrated The Blue Planet

In 2001, David Attenborough narrated "The Blue Planet", the BBC Natural History Unit's first comprehensive series on marine life.

2002: The Life of Mammals

In 2002, "The Life of Mammals" was released. This series used low-light and infrared cameras to capture nocturnal mammal behaviour, and is memorable for shots of Attenborough with chimpanzees, a blue whale, and a grizzly bear.

2002: Attenborough Opposes Creationism in UK Curriculum

In 2002, David Attenborough joined an effort by leading clerics and scientists to oppose the inclusion of creationism in the curriculum of UK state-funded independent schools.

2002: BBC Programmes Examine Attenborough's Legacy and Time as Controller

In 2002, David Attenborough was the subject of a number of BBC television programmes. Life on Air examined the legacy of his work, and Attenborough the Controller focused on his time in charge of BBC Two.

2002: Publication of Life on Air

In 2002, David Attenborough's autobiography, Life on Air, was published, marking a significant milestone in documenting his life and career.

David Attenborough - Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster

Check it on Amazon

2003: Rainforest Reserve Appeal

In 2003, David Attenborough launched an appeal for the World Land Trust to create a rainforest reserve in Ecuador in memory of Christopher Parsons.

2004: Attenborough Convinced of Human Influence on Climate Change

In 2004, David Attenborough stated that a lecture he attended finally convinced him that humans were responsible for climate change. Prior to this he had been sceptical.

2004: Attenborough Featured in "The Way We Went Wild"

In 2004, David Attenborough was featured prominently in The Way We Went Wild, a series about natural history television presenters.

2005: Supported BirdLife Project

In 2005, David Attenborough backed a BirdLife International project to stop the killing of albatross by longline fishing boats.

2005: Wildlife on One Ended

In 2005, David Attenborough finished narrating the BBC One wildlife series "Wildlife on One".

2005: Life in the Undergrowth

In 2005, David Attenborough introduced audiences to the world of invertebrates with "Life in the Undergrowth". This was made possible by advances in macro photography.

2006: UKTV Poll Asks Viewers for Favorite Attenborough Moments

In 2006, British television viewers were asked to vote for their Favourite Attenborough Moments for a UKTV poll to coincide with the broadcaster's 80th birthday. The winning clip showed Attenborough observing the mimicry skills of the superb lyrebird.

2006: Attenborough Breaks Silence on Climate Change

In 2006, David Attenborough broke his silence on the issue of climate change after being convinced of human responsibility in 2004.

2006: Supported WWF Campaign

In 2006, David Attenborough gave support to WWF's campaign to have 220,000 square kilometres of Borneo's rainforest designated a protected area.

2006: Narrated Planet Earth

In 2006, David Attenborough narrated "Planet Earth", the biggest nature documentary ever made for television and the first BBC wildlife series to be shot in high definition.

2006: The Truth about Climate Change

In 2006, David Attenborough turned to the issue of global warming with his documentary, "The Truth about Climate Change".

2007: Saving Planet Earth

In 2007, David Attenborough contributed a program highlighting the plight of endangered species to the BBC's "Saving Planet Earth" project.

2007: Attenborough Featured in "100 Years of Wildlife Films"

In 2007, David Attenborough was featured prominently in 100 Years of Wildlife Films, a programme marking the centenary of the nature documentary.

2008: Life in Cold Blood Broadcast

In 2008, "Life in Cold Blood" was broadcast, completing Attenborough's collection of programmes on major groups of terrestrial animals and plants, which was compiled into a DVD encyclopaedia called "Life on Land".

2008: Attenborough Criticizes BBC Television Schedules

In 2008, David Attenborough criticized the BBC's television schedules, stating that BBC One and BBC Two were scheduling simultaneously programmes of identical character.

January 2009: David Attenborough's Life Stories Broadcast

In January 2009, the BBC commissioned David Attenborough to provide a series of 20 ten-minute monologues about the history of nature. These were broadcast on Radio 4 on Friday nights and were entitled "David Attenborough's Life Stories".

2009: How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?

In 2009, David Attenborough addressed the issue of human population growth in his documentary, "How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?".

2009: Revision of Life on Air

In 2009, David Attenborough revised his autobiography, Life on Air, likely incorporating new experiences and reflections since the original publication.

David Attenborough - Life on Air: Memoirs of a Broadcaster

Check it on Amazon

2009: Attenborough on Genesis and Environmental Devastation

In 2009, David Attenborough stated that the Book of Genesis, by saying that the world was there for people to control, had taught generations that they can "dominate" the environment, resulting in devastation.

2009: Attenborough on Evolution as a Historical Fact

In early 2009, regarding the BBC special Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life, David Attenborough stated that evolution is a solid historical fact with evidence from every quarter, contrasting it with the theory of natural selection.

2010: First Life Included in "Life" Series

In 2010, David Attenborough asserted that "First Life", which deals with evolutionary history before "Life on Earth", should be included in the "Life" series.

2010: Attenborough Pioneers 3D Documentary Format

In 2010, David Attenborough became a pioneer in the 3D documentary format with Flying Monsters.

2010: Flying Monsters 3D

In 2010, David Attenborough partnered with Sky to work on documentaries for the broadcaster's new 3D network, Sky 3D. Their first collaboration was "Flying Monsters 3D", a film about pterosaurs which debuted on Christmas Day.

2011: Frozen Planet

In 2011, David Attenborough had a prominent on-screen role in "Frozen Planet", a series on the natural history of the polar regions. He also authored the final episode and performed voiceover duties.

2013: Attenborough Describes Humans as a "Plague on the Earth"

In a 2013 interview with the Radio Times, David Attenborough described humans as a "plague on the Earth", and described the act of sending food to famine-stricken countries as "barmy" for population reasons, further calling for more debate about human population growth.

September 2014: Tweet of the Day

In September 2014, David Attenborough continued as one of the presenters of BBC Radio 4's "Tweet of the Day", which began a second series.

October 2014: New Documentaries Announced

In October 2014, the BBC announced three new David Attenborough documentaries: "Attenborough's Paradise Birds", "Attenborough's Big Birds" for BBC Two, and "Waking Giants" for BBC One.

2015: Great Barrier Reef

In 2015, Atlantic Productions made the three-part series "Great Barrier Reef" fronted by David Attenborough. This marked his 10th project with Atlantic Productions.

2015: David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities

In 2015, David Attenborough narrated the third series of "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities" for UKTV channel Watch.

2016: Comments on Terry Wogan Job Application

In 2016, David Attenborough reflected on Terry Wogan's job application to be a presenter on BBC Two, which he turned down due to already having an Irish announcer.

2016: Planet Earth II

In 2016, David Attenborough returned as narrator and presenter for "Planet Earth II", with theme music composed by Hans Zimmer.

2017: Blue Planet II Broadcast

In 2017, "Blue Planet II" was broadcast, with David Attenborough returning as presenter. The series gained the highest UK viewing figures for 2017.

2018: Dynasties Narrated

In 2018, David Attenborough narrated the five-part series "Dynasties", each episode dealing with one species in particular.

2019: Our Planet and Climate Change

In 2019, David Attenborough narrated "Our Planet" for Netflix, emphasizing the destructive role of human activities. Also in 2019, his documentary "Climate Change – The Facts" aired on BBC One, with a grave tone. He also narrated Wild Karnataka.

2019: Extinction: The Facts, Climate Change

In 2019, David Attenborough's film Extinction: The Facts received praise.

October 2020: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

In October 2020, David Attenborough's witness statement documentary film, "David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet", was released on Netflix. Also in October 2020, Attenborough began filming in Cambridge for "The Green Planet".

2020: Advocated for ZSL

In 2020, David Attenborough advocated on behalf of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and its conservation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also named as a member of the Earthshot Prize Council.

2020: Moratorium on Deep Sea Mining

In 2020, David Attenborough backed a Fauna and Flora International campaign calling for a global moratorium on deep sea mining.

2020: A Life on Our Planet Praise

In 2020, David Attenborough's film A Life on Our Planet received praise.

2020: Attenborough Criticizes Excess Capitalism

In a 2020 interview, David Attenborough criticized excess capitalism as a driver of ecological imbalance, stating "the excesses the capitalist system has brought us, have got to be curbed somehow", and that "greed does not actually lead to joy".

2020: Attenborough Advocates for Vegetarian Diet in "A Life On Our Planet"

In his 2020 documentary film, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, David Attenborough advocates for people to adopt a vegetarian diet or reduce meat consumption to save wildlife, noting that "the planet can't support billions of meat-eaters."

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June 2021: Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet

In June 2021, the documentary "Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet", narrated by David Attenborough, was released on Netflix.

2021: Attenborough's Life in Colour and The Mating Game

In 2021, David Attenborough presented the three-part series "Attenborough's Life in Colour", and "The Mating Game", a five-part series.

2021: Attenborough Addresses G7 Leaders on Climate Change

In 2021, David Attenborough told the leaders of the 47th G7 summit that "tackling climate change was now as much a political challenge as it was a scientific or technological one" and urged for more action.

2021: United Nations Climate Change Conference

In 2021, David Attenborough was a key figure in the build-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and gave a speech at the opening ceremony.