Sir David Attenborough was hailed as a “remarkable man” and a “marvellous presenter” before a star-studded concert celebrating his 100th birthday.
Sir Michael Palin, Chris Packham and Liz Bonnin were among the stars at a special event at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday, featuring music from his programmes along with stories and reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world.
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth also featured a special message from the King, who was assisted by clever animals in delivering a handwritten note to Sir David.
In the note, the King recounted a seven-decade friendship with the naturalist that began when the then nine-year-old Prince Charles visited the set of the BBC children’s programme Zoo Quest in 1958 with his sister Princess Anne.
He wrote: “Dear David. My wife and I are delighted to learn that you will be celebrating your 100th birthday on May 8 and wanted to send you our warmest congratulations on such a special occasion.
“It is amazing to think that you and I have known one another for more than 60 years.
“Indeed, I believe we first met in 1958, almost a decade before the age of colour television. And, of course, our paths have crossed many times since.
“Over those decades you have revealed the beauty and wonders of nature to audiences around the world in new and marvellous ways.
“In so doing you have shared my determination to highlight the urgent need to protect and preserve this precious planet of ours and all life on Earth for future generations.
“Thank you then for all that you have done. And on behalf of the whole nation I wish you a very happy 100th birthday.”
Speaking before the event, broadcaster and Monty Python star Sir Michael told the Press Association: “David, I think, is the most influential person in my life. Not just because of his programmes, and the nature of his programmes, and the messages he sends out about the state of the world. But the way he does it, he’s just a marvellous presenter.
“I do presenting myself, I’ve learned a lot from David. And mainly it is just to remember that you are the person looking out at the world for the audience.
“It’s not about people looking back at you and seeing you wearing different outfits and swanning around.
“David always immerses himself in whatever he’s doing and I think that’s something I’ve done when I go out, I like to talk to people and get them to talk back to me to tell me what’s happening in their lives.
“So I do humans and David does animals, as he said to me once.”
Sir Michael praised his “humility, sense of the absurd, sense of humour,” adding: “He’s a remarkable, remarkable man.”
The Royal Albert Hall celebration, hosted by Kirsty Young, featured Dan Smith, frontman of Brit Award‑winning act Bastille, with the BBC Concert Orchestra performing their track Pompeii, which was featured in Planet Earth III.
The event began with wooden puppets of animals, including a giraffe and a gorilla, being led into the arena as the orchestra scored a compilation of highlights from the 100-year-old presenter’s career.
Young described Sir David as “a very special person” and an “unparalleled communicator”.
The event also showed memorable footage from Sir David’s famous scenes with mountain gorillas in Rwanda.
The broadcaster revealed that he often dreams about that moment.
Pablo, one of the gorillas in the scene, was later revealed to have started one of the world’s longest surviving gorilla families.
The event featured birthday messages from a host of famous faces, including actresses Dame Judi Dench, Olivia Colman and Kate Winslet as well as Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and singer Raye.
Paddington Bear was also among the celebrities, saying: “On behalf of all bears everywhere, thank you.”
Dame Judi Dench said: “Thank you for all the things you’ve told us, and you’ve taught us.”
Martin sent him “so much love and respect”, while broadcaster Ben Fogle described him as “an incredible inspiration to the whole nation”.
Colman told him the world is “a much better place with you in it”, while Titanic star Winslet added that she hoped he felt “celebrated and loved”.
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