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, and natural historian. Renowned for his captivating nature documentaries, particularly the BBC's "Life" collection, he has dedicated his career to exploring and documenting the Earth's diverse flora and fauna. His work has not only educated millions about the natural world but also raised awareness of critical environmental issues, making him a prominent voice in conservation efforts. Attenborough's contributions have significantly shaped public understanding of biology and the importance of preserving our planet.
1936: Influence of Grey Owl
In 1936, David Attenborough and his brother Richard attended a lecture by Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) in Leicester. Grey Owl's advocacy of conservation greatly influenced Attenborough.
1950: Job Applications
In 1950, after leaving the navy, David Attenborough applied for a job as a radio talk producer with the BBC but was rejected. He had previously taken a position editing children's science textbooks for a publishing company but found it dissatisfying.
1952: Joining the BBC
In 1952, David Attenborough joined the BBC full-time. He became a producer for the Talks department, working on programs like 'Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?' and 'Song Hunter'.
1954: Zoo Quest Broadcast
In 1954, 'Zoo Quest' was first broadcast, with David Attenborough as the presenter after Jack Lester fell ill. This marked the beginning of Attenborough's on-screen career in natural history programs.
1954: Hosting Zoo Quest
In 1954, David Attenborough first gained prominence as the host of 'Zoo Quest'. This marked the beginning of his extensive filmography as a writer, presenter, and narrator.
1957: First Filming at Great Barrier Reef
In 1957, David Attenborough first filmed at the Great Barrier Reef, a location he would later revisit for the series "Great Barrier Reef" in 2015.
1964: BBC Two Launched
In 1964, BBC Two was launched. When David Attenborough became controller he changed the channel's mascot and schedule, and began commissioning diverse programmes. Programmes commissioned include Man Alive, Call My Bluff, Chronicle, Match of the Day, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Monty Python's Flying Circus and The Money Programme
March 1965: Controller of BBC Two
In March 1965, David Attenborough became Controller of BBC Two, succeeding Michael Peacock. His contract allowed him to continue making programmes.
1969: The World About Us Creation
In 1969, Attenborough created "The World About Us" as a vehicle for color television.
1969: Civilisation Broadcast
In 1969, BBC Two broadcast 'Civilisation', a 13-part series on the history of Western art, to universal acclaim. David Attenborough commissioned the show to show off the UHF colour television service that BBC Two offered. The show set the blueprint for landmark authored documentaries.
1969: Filming in Bali
In 1969, David Attenborough filmed elephants in Tanzania and created a three-part series on the cultural history of Bali.
1969: Promotion to Director of Programmes
In 1969, David Attenborough was promoted to director of programmes, responsible for the output of both BBC channels.
1971: A Blank on the Map Filmed
In 1971, David Attenborough joined the first Western expedition to a remote highland valley in New Guinea, seeking a lost tribe for the film 'A Blank on the Map'.
1972: Director-General Consideration
In 1972, David Attenborough was considered for the position of Director-General of the BBC but confessed to his brother that he had no interest in the job.
1973: Eastwards with Attenborough Series
In 1973, after resigning from his post, David Attenborough became a freelance broadcaster and started work on 'Eastwards with Attenborough', a series similar to 'Zoo Quest' but in colour, filmed in Indonesia. He also delivered the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture on 'The Language of Animals'.
1975: Television Projects
In 1975, David Attenborough presented 'The Tribal Eye', 'The Explorers', and 'Fabulous Animals', a children's series about cryptozoology.
1977: Narrated Wildlife on One
In 1977, Attenborough began narrating every episode of "Wildlife on One", a BBC One wildlife series.
1979: Release of Life on Earth
Beginning in 1979 with 'Life on Earth', David Attenborough created a body of work that set a benchmark for quality in wildlife filmmaking and influenced documentary filmmakers. The series gained the trust of scientists, allowing him to feature their subjects.
1979: Reporting on China's One-Child Policy
In 1979, David Attenborough visited China and reported on China's one-child policy to the West for the first time.
1987: The First Eden
In 1987, Attenborough wrote and presented "The First Eden", a series on man's influence on the natural history of the Mediterranean Basin.
1990: The Trials of Life completed
In 1990, 'The Trials of Life' completed the original 'Life' trilogy, looking at animal behavior through different stages of life. It was released five years after 'The Living Planet'.
1990: Prisoners of Conscience Series
In 1990, David Attenborough highlighted the case of Sudanese poet Mahjoub Sharif in the BBC's "Prisoners of Conscience" series.
1993: Life in the Freezer Presented
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 Release
In 1995, David Attenborough released 'The Private Life of Plants', which used time-lapse photography to showcase plants as dynamic organisms and earned a Peabody Award.
1997: Narrated BBC Wildlife Specials
In 1997, Attenborough narrated the BBC Wildlife Specials, each focusing on a charismatic species, to mark the Natural History Unit's 40th anniversary.
1998: The Life of Birds
In 1998, David Attenborough created "The Life of Birds" documentary series, focusing on bird behavior after being prompted by an ornithologist at the BBC Natural History Unit. He chose behavior as the central theme, because he was neither a birdwatcher nor a bird expert.
2000: State of the Planet
In 2000, Attenborough's "State of the Planet" documentary adopted a more overtly environmentalist stance, assessing human impact on the natural world using scientific evidence and interviews.
2001: The Blue Planet Narration
In 2001, Attenborough narrated "The Blue Planet", the BBC Natural History Unit's first comprehensive series on marine life, after Alastair Fothergill decided against using an on-screen presenter.
2002: The Life of Mammals
In 2002, Attenborough released "The Life of Mammals", which used low-light and infrared cameras to capture nocturnal mammal behavior. Memorable shots included Attenborough with chimpanzees, a blue whale, and a grizzly bear.
2002: Life on Air and Attenborough the Controller
In 2002, BBC television programmes Life on Air, which examined the legacy of his work, and Attenborough the Controller, which focused on his time in charge of BBC Two, were released.
2002: Opposing creationism in UK schools
In 2002, David Attenborough joined leading clerics and scientists in an effort to oppose the inclusion of creationism in the curriculum of UK state-funded independent schools.
2002: Publication of "Life on Air"
In 2002, David Attenborough's autobiography, "Life on Air", was published, marking a significant point in documenting his personal and professional journey.
2003: Christopher Parsons Memorial & ARKive Launch
In 2003, Attenborough launched an appeal for a rainforest reserve in Ecuador to memorialize Christopher Parsons, and he helped launch ARKive, a global project to gather natural history media into a digital library.
2004: Convinced of human influence on climate change
In 2004, David Attenborough stated that a lecture he attended convinced him that humans were responsible for climate change. He had been initially skeptical about the human influence on climate change.
2004: 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: Backed BirdLife International Project
In 2005, Attenborough backed a BirdLife International project to stop the killing of albatross by longline fishing boats.
2005: End of Wildlife on One
In 2005, Attenborough finished narrating "Wildlife on One", a BBC One wildlife series, which ran for 253 episodes.
2005: Life in the Undergrowth
In 2005, Attenborough's "Life in the Undergrowth" premiered, showcasing the world of invertebrates using advancements in macro photography to capture their natural behavior for the first time.
2006: The Truth about Climate Change
In 2006, Attenborough released "The Truth about Climate Change", addressing the issue of global warming.
2006: Supported WWF's Borneo Rainforest Campaign
In 2006, Attenborough supported WWF's campaign to have 220,000 square kilometers of Borneo's rainforest designated a protected area.
2006: Favourite Attenborough Moments
In 2006, British television viewers voted for their Favourite Attenborough Moments for a UKTV poll to coincide with Attenborough's 80th birthday. The winning clip showed Attenborough observing the mimicry skills of the superb lyrebird.
2006: Breaking silence on climate change
In 2006, David Attenborough, who had been convinced of human responsibility for climate change since 2004, broke his silence on the issue.
2007: Featured in 100 Years of Wildlife Films
In 2007, David Attenborough was featured prominently in 100 Years of Wildlife Films, a program marking the centenary of the nature documentary.
2008: Life in Cold Blood broadcast
In 2008, David Attenborough completed his collection of programmes on major terrestrial animal and plant groups with the broadcast of "Life in Cold Blood", which focused on reptiles and amphibians. The entire collection was then released as a DVD encyclopaedia called "Life on Land".
2008: Criticism of BBC television schedules
In 2008, David Attenborough criticized the BBC's television schedules, saying BBC One and BBC Two were scheduling identical programs simultaneously, negating the purpose of having a second network.
January 2009: David Attenborough's Life Stories
In January 2009, the BBC commissioned Attenborough to create "David Attenborough's Life Stories", a series of 20 ten-minute monologues covering the history of nature, broadcast on Radio 4.
2009: How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?
In 2009, David Attenborough released "How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?", addressing the issue of human population growth.
2009: Criticism of the Book of Genesis
In 2009, David Attenborough stated that the Book of Genesis had taught generations to "dominate" the environment, resulting in devastation. He emphasized the importance of Darwinism and evolution to counter this attitude.
2009: Revision of "Life on Air"
In 2009, David Attenborough's autobiography, "Life on Air", was revised, adding to the original published in 2002.
2009: Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life broadcast
In early 2009, the BBC broadcast an Attenborough one-hour special, Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life. In reference to the programme, Attenborough stated that evolution is a solid historical fact and strongly opposes creationism and "intelligent design".
2010: First Life Included in "Life" Series
In 2010, Attenborough included "First Life", which deals with evolutionary history before "Life on Earth", within the "Life" series. He stated that it completed the set in the documentary "Attenborough's Journey".
2010: Flying Monsters 3D
In 2010, Attenborough partnered with Sky to work on documentaries for the broadcaster's new 3D network. Their first collaboration was "Flying Monsters 3D", which debuted on Christmas Day.
2011: Frozen Planet Series
In 2011, Attenborough had a prominent on-screen role in "Frozen Planet", a major series on the natural history of the polar regions, and he also authored the final episode and performed voiceover duties.
September 2014: Tweet of the Day
In September 2014, Attenborough continued as one of the presenters of BBC Radio 4's "Tweet of the Day", which began its second series.
October 2014: New Documentaries Announced
In October 2014, the BBC announced a trio of new Attenborough documentaries, including "Attenborough's Paradise Birds", "Attenborough's Big Birds", and "Waking Giants".
2015: Great Barrier Reef Series
In 2015, Attenborough fronted the three-part series "Great Barrier Reef", marking his 10th project with Atlantic Productions and a return to a location he first filmed at in 1957.
2015: David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities
In 2015, Attenborough narrated the third series of "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities" for UKTV channel Watch.
2016: Planet Earth II
In 2016, Attenborough returned as narrator and presenter for "Planet Earth II", featuring main theme music composed by Hans Zimmer.
2016: Reflecting on Terry Wogan
In 2016, David Attenborough reflected on turning down Terry Wogan's job application to be a presenter on BBC Two, due to already having an Irish announcer.
2017: Blue Planet II Broadcast
In 2017, "Blue Planet II" was broadcast, with Attenborough returning as presenter. The series gained high UK viewing figures and increased attention to plastic pollution.
2018: Dynasties Series
In 2018, Attenborough narrated the five-part series "Dynasties", each episode dealing with a specific species.
2019: Our Planet and Climate Change Film
In 2019, Attenborough narrated "Our Planet" for Netflix, emphasizing the destructive role of human activities throughout the series. He also narrated "Wild Karnataka", a documentary about the Karnataka forest area. Additionally, Attenborough's documentary "Climate Change – The Facts" aired on BBC One.
2019: Increased Urgency in Environmental Messaging
In 2019, environmentalists praised the increased urgency of environmental messaging in films such as "Extinction: The Facts" and "Climate Change – The Facts".
October 2020: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet Release
In October 2020, "David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet" was released on Netflix, and Attenborough began filming "The Green Planet" in Cambridge.
2020: Advocacy for Zoological Society of London & Earthshot Prize
In 2020, Attenborough advocated for the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) during the COVID-19 pandemic and was named a member of the Earthshot Prize Council.
2020: Campaign Against Deep Sea Mining
In 2020, Attenborough backed a Fauna and Flora International campaign calling for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining due to its impact on marine life.
2020: A Life on Our Planet Praise
In 2020, Attenborough's film "A Life on Our Planet" received praise for its increased urgency in environmental messaging.
2020: A Life On Our Planet documentary release
In 2020, David Attenborough's documentary film David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet was released. In the documentary, Attenborough advocates for people to adopt a vegetarian diet or reduce meat consumption to help save wildlife.
2020: Criticism of excess capitalism
In a 2020 interview, David Attenborough criticized excess capitalism as a driver of ecological imbalance, stating it needs to be curbed, while acknowledging capitalism isn't dead. He also lamented the lack of international cooperation on climate change.
June 2021: Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet
In June 2021, "Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet", narrated by Attenborough, was released on Netflix.
2021: Speech at COP26
In 2021, Attenborough gave a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).
2021: Attenborough's Life in Colour and The Mating Game
In 2021, Attenborough presented the three-part series "Attenborough's Life in Colour", and "The Mating Game", a five-part series.
2021: Address to the G7 summit
In 2021, David Attenborough told leaders at the 47th G7 summit that tackling climate change was as much a political challenge as a scientific one, urging for more action and stating that we are on the verge of destabilizing the entire planet.
May 2022: Prehistoric Planet Aired
In May 2022, David Attenborough's "Prehistoric Planet" aired.
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