Sir David Attenborough, a titan of natural history broadcasting whose career has spanned eight remarkable decades, is set to celebrate his 100th birthday on 8 May. His unparalleled contributions to educating and entertaining millions through landmark documentaries such as the BBC’s Life On Earth (1979), The Blue Planet (2001), and Planet Earth (2006) will be honoured by the BBC with a dedicated week of special programming.
Central to these celebrations is a new programme, Making Life On Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure, which offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the seminal 1979 BBC One series. The original Life On Earth saw Sir David traverse 40 countries, documenting over 600 species in an ambitious global endeavour.
The forthcoming film features candid interviews with Attenborough himself and the original production team, as they recount the challenges faced during filming. These included navigating a coup in the Comoros, coming under fire, and his now-iconic encounter with gorillas in Rwanda.
Reflecting on the series, Sir David states in the opening sequence: "I have been lucky enough to have had a long career making natural history programmes, but there was one series that changed everything: Life On Earth." He adds: "It took viewers to parts of the natural world they had never imagined. From the South American rainforest, the richest and most varied assemblage of life on Earth, to remote and extreme environments, we set out to tell the greatest story on Earth."
The documentary also delves into Attenborough’s earlier career, particularly his time on the BBC’s managerial ladder in the 1950s, which he admits "wasn’t much fun".
After becoming controller of BBC Two in 1965, where he oversaw the introduction of colour television, and later serving as the BBC’s director of programming, Sir David yearned to return to fieldwork. "The question was how I could step away from the BBC in order to make a series on a global scale," he explains.
"I wanted to create a series that would chart the history of life and evolution, starting with the simplest organisms and progressing all the way to monkeys, apes and humans. In between, you would explore birds, insects and more, each in their proper evolutionary order. I just yearned to do that, but I couldn’t get away."
His eventual resignation in 1973 to pursue a wildlife programme marked a pivotal moment: "That was the turning point in my life, really," he recalls.
Mike Salisbury, an 84-year-old documentary filmmaker and longtime collaborator, offers insight into Sir David’s enduring appeal. "Sir David occupies a fairly rare position in public life where authority and warmth sit together," Salisbury observes. "A lot of the emotional heft comes from consistency. People have grown up with his voice as a guide through the natural world, so there’s a sense of trust and continuity."
He further highlights Attenborough’s grounded nature: "At the same time, the quiet preparation, the ordinariness before he performs, and then the sudden focus on camera reinforce that he isn’t distant or theatrical. He feels grounded, methodical and human, which makes that authority more believable rather than less." Salisbury also praises his exceptional work ethic: "I don’t know anyone who uses their time as effectively as David. He is remarkably organised."
He adds: "He can switch effortlessly between intense productivity and being part of the group. He really does use his time exceptionally well."
Mike Davis, who produced Natural History Museum Alive and directed BBC One’s Great Barrier Reef and Galapagos, underscores the profound impact of Life On Earth on natural history filmmaking. "I think some of David Attenborough’s work from the 1970s and 80s can blur together if you weren’t there at the time," Davis notes.
"You recognise the landmarks, Life On Earth, The Private Life of Plants, The Life Of Birds, but you don’t always appreciate how distinct and ambitious each one was." He stresses the series’ monumental scope: "Going back and watching it in full, you really see the scale, this extraordinary 13-hour journey telling the history of life on Earth."
Davis concludes that "It’s easy to forget just how innovative it was, and that it effectively started the cycle of landmark natural history series, rather than simply being one of many."
Davis also points out a lesser-known aspect of Attenborough’s career: "People also often overlook the period when David stepped away from filmmaking to work as a controller." He explains that Life On Earth represented a significant "return, a moment when he wanted to get back into the field and tell this enormous story using new technology and an exceptional team."
Acknowledging the immense pressure, Davis states: "There was a lot of pressure. There had been major landmark series before, like Civilisation and The Ascent Of Man, but nothing quite like this in natural history. It felt like a huge responsibility."
Ultimately, the effort proved worthwhile: "In the end, though, it was worth every minute, not just because of its popularity with audiences, but because it was also embraced by scientists and biologists, whose contributions were so important to making it what it was."
Making Life On Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure is scheduled to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, 3 May.
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