History of David Attenborough in Timeline
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.
May 1926: David Attenborough Born
In May 1926, David Frederick Attenborough was born in Isleworth, Middlesex. He grew up in College House on the campus of the University of Leicester, where his father, Frederick, was principal.
1936: Lecture by Grey Owl
In 1936, David Attenborough and his brother Richard attended a lecture by Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) in Leicester and were influenced by his advocacy of conservation.
1945: Scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge
In 1945, David Attenborough won a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge, to study geology and zoology.
1947: National service in the Royal Navy
In 1947, David Attenborough was called up for national service in the Royal Navy and spent two years stationed in North Wales and the Firth of Forth.
1950: Marriage to Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel
In 1950, David Attenborough married Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel. They later had two children, Robert and Susan.
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: 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.
1970: Attenborough Awarded Honorary Degree by the University of Leicester
In 1970, David Attenborough was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Leicester.
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).
1977: Narrated Wildlife on One
In 1977, David Attenborough narrated the first episode of "Wildlife on One", a BBC One wildlife series.
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.
1980: Attenborough Named Honorary Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge
In 1980, David Attenborough received the title Honorary Fellow from Clare College, Cambridge.
1980: Attenborough Honoured by the Open University
In 1980, David Attenborough was honoured by the Open University, with which he has had a close association throughout his career.
1982: Attenborough Receives Honorary Doctorate from Durham University
In 1982, David Attenborough received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Durham University.
1984: Attenborough Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Cambridge
In 1984, David Attenborough received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Cambridge.
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.
1988: Attenborough Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Oxford
In 1988, David Attenborough received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Oxford.
1990: Attenborough Made Honorary Freeman of the City of Leicester
In 1990, David Attenborough was made an honorary Freeman of the City of Leicester.
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.
1993: Extinct Reptile Renamed Attenborosaurus conybeari
In 1993, after discovering that the Mesozoic reptile Plesiosaurus conybeari did not belong to the genus Plesiosaurus, the palaeontologist Robert Bakker renamed the species Attenborosaurus conybeari.
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.
1997: Attenborough Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Ghent
In 1997, David Attenborough received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Ghent.
1997: Death of Jane Attenborough
In 1997, Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel, David Attenborough's wife, passed away.
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.
1998: Attenborough Describes Himself as "Left-Wing Liberal"
In 1998, David Attenborough described himself as "a standard, boring left-wing liberal" and expressed the view that the market economy was "misery".
1998: Attenborough Named Honorary Fellow of Zoological Society of London
In 1998, David Attenborough received the title Honorary Fellow from the Zoological Society of London.
1999: Attenborough Named Honorary Fellow of the Linnean Society
In 1999, David Attenborough received the title Honorary Fellow from the Linnean Society.
1999: Richard directs Grey Owl Biopic
In 1999, Richard Attenborough directed a biopic of Archibald Belaney (Grey Owl), who had influenced David's conservation advocacy since 1936.
2000: Attenborough Named Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Biology
In 2000, David Attenborough received the title Honorary Fellow from the Institute of Biology (Now the Royal Society of Biology).
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: Attenborough Named Among the 100 Greatest Britons
In 2002, David Attenborough was named among the 100 Greatest Britons in a BBC poll.
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.
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: The Truth about Climate Change
In 2006, David Attenborough turned to the issue of global warming with his documentary, "The Truth about Climate Change".
2006: Attenborough Named Most Trusted Celebrity in the UK
In 2006, David Attenborough was named the most trusted celebrity in the UK in a Reader's Digest poll.
2006: Attenborough Brothers Receive Honorary Fellowships from University of Leicester
In 2006, the two eldest Attenborough brothers returned to their home city to receive the title of Distinguished Honorary Fellows of the University of Leicester, "in recognition of a record of continuing distinguished service to the University."
2007: Attenborough Named Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
In 2007, David Attenborough received the title Honorary Fellow from the Society of Antiquaries.
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.
2007: Attenborough Wins The Culture Show's Living Icon Award
In 2007, David Attenborough won The Culture Show's Living Icon Award.
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".
March 2009: Attenborough on Evolution and Belief in God
In March 2009, David Attenborough appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Attenborough stated that he felt evolution did not rule out the existence of a God and accepted the title of agnostic.
September 2009: Natural History Museum Opens Attenborough Studio
In September 2009, London's Natural History Museum opened the Attenborough Studio, part of its Darwin Centre development.
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.
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.
2010: Attenborough Awarded Honorary Doctorates from Two Universities
In 2010, David Attenborough was awarded Honorary Doctorates from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and Nottingham Trent University.
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.
2012: Attenborough Featured on New Sgt. Pepper's Album Cover
In 2012, David Attenborough was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover – to celebrate the British cultural figures of his life.
January 2013: Attenborough Holds Record for Honorary Degrees
As of January 2013, David Attenborough had collected 32 honorary degrees from British universities, more than any other person.
June 2013: Pacemaker Fitted
In June 2013, David Attenborough had a pacemaker fitted.
September 2013: Remarks on Continuing Work
In September 2013, David Attenborough commented on his good fortune in continuing to explore the world and its interesting phenomena.
2013: Attenborough Joins Musicians in Opposing Badger Cull
In 2013, David Attenborough joined the rock guitarists Brian May and Slash in opposing the government's policy on the cull of badgers in the UK by participating in a song dedicated to badgers.
2013: Attenborough Made Honorary Freeman of the City of Bristol
In 2013, David Attenborough was made an Honorary Freeman of the City of Bristol.
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.
2014: Attenborough Wins BAFTA Awards in Multiple Formats
As of 2014, David Attenborough was the only person to have won BAFTA Awards for programmes in black and white, colour, high-definition and 3D.
2014: Attenborough Supports Scotland Remaining in the UK
In 2014, David Attenborough was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in the referendum.
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.
2015: Double Knee Replacement
In 2015, David Attenborough underwent a double knee replacement.
2015: Tree Species Named Sirdavidia Couvreur & Sauquet
In 2015, a species of tree from Gabon (in the Annonaceae family) Sirdavidia Couvreur & Sauquet was named with David Attenborough's title.
2015: Attenborough Endorses Green Party's Caroline Lucas
Prior to the 2015 UK general election, David Attenborough was one of several celebrities who endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of the Green Party's Caroline Lucas.
2016: Miniature Marsupial Lion Named Microleo attenboroughi
In 2016, A miniature marsupial lion, Microleo attenboroughi, was named in David Attenborough's honor.
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.
March 2017: Crustacean Cascolus ravitis Named After Attenborough
In March 2017, a 430 million year old tiny crustacean was named after David Attenborough. Called Cascolus ravitis, the first word is a Latin translation of the root meaning of "Attenborough", and the second is based on a description of him in Latin.
July 2017: Caribbean Bat Myotis attenboroughi Named After Attenborough
In July 2017, the Caribbean bat Myotis attenboroughi was named after David Attenborough.
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.
2018: Comments on Environmental Messages
In 2018, David Attenborough said that repeated messages on threats to wildlife in programming could be a "turn-off" to viewers.
2018: Lizard Species Named Sitana attenboroughii
In 2018, a new species of fan-throated lizard from coastal Kerala in southern India was named Sitana attenboroughii in David Attenborough's honor.
2018: Phytoplankton and Beetle Species Named After Attenborough and "The Blue Planet"
In 2018, a new species of phytoplankton, Syracosphaera azureaplaneta, was named to honour The Blue Planet, the TV documentary presented by David Attenborough, and to recognise his contribution to promoting understanding of the oceanic environment. The same year, Attenborough was also commemorated in the name of the scarab beetle Sylvicanthon attenboroughi.
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: Fish Species Named Nothobranchius attenboroughi
In 2020, Nothobranchius attenboroughi, a brightly coloured seasonal fish species was described in David Attenborough's honor. This species is endemic to Tanzania and it is known from ephemeral pools and marshes associated with the Grumeti River and other small systems draining into Lake Victoria at the east side of the lake, largely within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.
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."
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: Extinct Horseshoe Crab Named Attenborolimulus superspinosus
In 2021 an extinct species of horseshoe crab was named Attenborolimulus superspinosus.
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.
May 2022: Prehistoric Planet
In May 2022, David Attenborough narrated the documentary Prehistoric Planet.
July 2022: Fossil Named Auroralumina attenboroughii
In July 2022, a fossil of a 560-million-year-old creature named Auroralumina attenboroughii, which researchers believe to be the first animal predator, was named after David Attenborough.
2022: Champion of the Earth
In 2022, David Attenborough was recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme as a Champion of the Earth.
2023: Attenborough Ranked Among Britain's Most Powerful Left-Wing Figures
In 2023, David Attenborough was described by the New Statesman as a figure "invaluable to green diplomacy" in the UK, placing him twenty-third in their list of Britain's most powerful left-wing figures.
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