Sir David Attenborough marked his 100th birthday on Friday, acknowledging he had been “completely overwhelmed” by messages of goodwill. In a recorded audio message, the veteran broadcaster thanked well-wishers “most sincerely” for their kind greetings, having initially hoped to celebrate quietly.
The milestone was commemorated with a live event at the Royal Albert Hall, broadcast on BBC One. The programme featured music from his documentaries, along with stories and reflections from public figures and advocates for the natural world.
To mark the occasion, the Natural History Museum named a newly discovered parasitic wasp species Attenboroughnculus tau after him. It also opened an immersive exhibition, Our Story With David Attenborough, running until August. The Australian Museum offered free entry to its new exhibition Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires in honour of its patron.
Tributes came from notable figures including naturalist Chris Packham, who called Attenborough “the greatest ambassador for life on Earth the planet has and will ever see”. Actor Ian McKellen praised him for making serious programmes for a popular audience, adding: “He has brought such joy to so many people.”
Alastair Fothergill of Silverback Films noted that Attenborough transformed wildlife television, bringing wonder and responsibility into living rooms. Born in 1926 in Isleworth and raised near Leicester, Attenborough joined the BBC in 1950, later becoming controller of BBC2 and commissioning landmark series before focusing on wildlife documentaries like Life on Earth.
