Sir David Attenborough, aged 99, spent his 100th summer exploring the hidden wildlife of his home city for a new BBC documentary, Wild London. The film, to be broadcast on BBC One on New Year's Day, features Attenborough more prominently than in recent natural history blockbusters, as he demonstrates his enduring rapport with wild creatures.
Attenborough is seen cupping a harvest mouse, admiring beavers in Ealing, and watching young foxes at dusk in north London. Director Joe Loncraine praised his professionalism, noting that despite his age, Attenborough was willing to lie on damp grass for hedgehogs and scale heights for peregrine falcon chicks. 'He’s a 99-year-old man but I would say he’s still one of the easiest TV presenters to work with,' Loncraine said.
The documentary includes visits to the Natural History Museum for emperor dragonflies, parliament for peregrines, and Richmond Park for ancient oaks. Remarkably, the scene with foxes was shot in one evening, thanks to wildlife cameraman Matt Maran's decade-long familiarity with a local fox family. Attenborough also enthuses about tube-riding pigeons and leopard slugs, reflecting his belief that cities need nature to be happy.
Attenborough was keen to highlight rewilding efforts, such as the reintroduction of Eurasian beavers to fenced wetlands in Ealing and Enfield. In a piece to camera, he said, 'If someone had told me when I first moved here that one day I would be watching wild beavers in London, I would’ve thought they were mad but there they are, right behind me, going about their own business.'
The film carries a clear message about the importance of urban green spaces. Loncraine stated, 'The importance of appreciating nature wherever it is and making space for nature in urban environments was key for him.' The documentary ends with Attenborough reflecting on Richmond Park's significance in his life. Asked if this might be his swansong, Loncraine replied, 'People have been asking that question for at least 10 years.'
