The face and voice of Sir David Attenborough has been beamed into living rooms around the world for eight decades on the BBC. From presenting Zoo Quest in 1954 to his current series Secret Garden, his curiosity for the natural world is limitless. As he celebrates his 100th birthday on May 8th, enjoy these memories and anecdotes from 10 people who’ve met and worked with him.
Wildlife on One, Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Galápagos 3D, Life in the Freezer, Dynasties, Natural World… And that’s just for starters. Editing Sir David Attenborough’s resume alone would be a job in itself.
While his presenting career began as host of Zoo Quest—in black-and-white—in 1954, Sir David had a long broadcasting career behind-the-scenes too, before his now-beloved whispering voice became a living room legend. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, he was a senior manager at the BBC, controller of BBC Two, and director of programming for BBC Television.
And while we associate him best with wildlife documentaries, quite justifiably given the sheer number he has worked on, Sir David’s work is inextricably linked with wider environmental causes in our world. From biodiversity restoration and population growth to climate crisis, renewable energy and even decreasing our meat consumption, he has become increasingly vocal on the issues that threaten our planet.
It’s said Sir David Attenborough does not particularly care for the term ‘national treasure’ (much less ‘international treasure’), but the truth is, his programs, campaigns and enthusiasm for the natural world have inspired, educated and entertained so many people around the world, be it kickstarting a passion for conservation, booking a wildlife vacation, or pursuing long-term careers, campaigns and projects to protect the natural world.
We asked 10 people who have met and worked with Sir David how this collaboration has shaped their own work and mindsets. We would like to especially mention the late, great Doug Allen OBE, wildlife cameraman extraordinaire who worked with Sir David on numerous occasions, who sadly passed away in Nepal on April 8th 2026. Rest in peace.
And from us all at Adventure.com, a very happy birthday (even if they’re not your thing) Sir David Attenborough.
A note of condolence: Shortly after providing this quote, renowned wildlife cameraman and photographer Doug Allan OBE died after becoming unwell while trekking in Nepal. We send our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. 74-year-old Allan had worked as the principal cameraman on numerous BBC documentaries including The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, and much of his career was spent with Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough said of Doug: “Capturing animal behavior in extreme and sometimes hostile places takes a very special kind of wildlife cameraman … There’s just no one else who knew these frozen worlds and their unique wildlife as he did.” Allan’s management company described him as a “true pioneer of wildlife filmmaking.”
“In 2001, I was asked by producer Mike Salisbury to do a shoot in Svalbard on Arctic foxes for the BBC’s Life of Mammals series. It was my first chance to film David presenting a piece to camera. Though he and I had been involved with several series since first meeting during Trials of Life back in 1989 and I’d met David often on location and at wildlife festivals, I had never actually been entrusted with filming him.
On location, Mike wanted shots of David driving a snowmobile. But never having handled one, David was hesitant when I suggested a dramatic, wide, low-angle shot of the machine passing and leaving the frame. This meant me lying on the snow while he zoomed by. He did it, but too far away.
“Closer please” I asked.
He replied: “Imagine the paperwork, Doug, if I run you over.”
David’s deep concern for conservation extends also to his camera crews.”
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Read Stephen Moss’s obituary on Doug Allan in The Guardian.
Based in Uganda, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is a wildlife veterinarian, conservationist and author of Walking With Gorillas. She is also the founder and CEO of Conservation Through Public Health and social enterprise Gorilla Conservation Coffee.
“It was a great privilege to meet Sir David Attenborough in London, two years after I won the Whitley Gold Award in 2009 during a private dinner with my husband, Lawrence, Sir Edward Whitley and trustees of the Whitley Fund for Nature, of which Sir David is a Trustee and ambassador.
Having seen Sir David on TV screens while growing up, I was truly awed by his down-to-earth nature. He asked me how Uganda was, having last visited my country in the 1950s! They played the famous BBC clip of his first encounter with the mountain gorillas in the 1980s in Rwanda with Dr Dian Fossey, followed by a video clip about our work at Conservation Through Public Health where we improve the health of people and gorillas together, so that they don’t make each other sick.
I was humbled when Sir David expressed regret for getting too close to the gorillas, adding that they weren’t aware of the disease risks in those days. He subsequently became an advocate for responsible tourism to the great apes. Having inspired generations of naturalists, including my brother William Kalema, I would like to wish Sir David Attenborough a very happy 100th birthday, and congratulate him on a century of change through his truly compelling nature programs on BBC.”
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Read Dr Glady’s article on Adventure.com: Wildlife conservation and human health go hand-in-hand, says Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka
Dr Jen Jones is Chief Executive at Galápagos Conservation Trust. A marine biologist with expertise in marine plastic pollution, she has conducted some of the first research on microplastics in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Passionate about advocating for education and fair access to nature, Dr Jones has driven GCT’s work with the local community to support the Islands’ future stewards.
“Galápagos is one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.” This was a powerful statement shared by Sir David Attenborough and one all of us at Galápagos Conservation Trust wholeheartedly agree with.
Over the years, Sir David has helped to shine a light on these islands, sharing their significance with the entire world through the power of storytelling, bringing to life how Darwin’s observations about evolution and the human place in our ecosystem still have such relevance for today. GCT’s relationship with David Attenborough began 31 years ago, when he attended the launch of our charity in 1995.
Since then, we have kept in touch regularly with Sir David as he continued to visit Galápagos over the years. In the UK, we have joined forces to tell stories from the Islands including at a dinner at Christ’s College in Cambridge to celebrate the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth in 2009, and in 2013 with a screening of Galápagos 3D at the BAFTA venue.
In 2022, Sir David was awarded the ‘National Order of Merit’, the highest decoration granted by Ecuador, at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, an event we were honored to help organize—once again getting the opportunity to share our mutual love for the weird and wonderful wildlife of the Galápagos Islands.
From all of us and the many people touched by Sir David’s work, we want to say a huge thank you for all you have done!”
Professor Joe Smith is the Director of the Royal Geographical Society, the UK’s learned society and professional body for geography. His academic work has focused on environmental communication, history, policy and politics, and he is co-founder of the Mediating Change group which supports new cultural work on climate change.
“Sir David Attenborough has, for 70 years, been encouraging us all to pause and notice, and hence give value, to nature. This ‘careful noticing’ becomes ever more important as the flow of information—and disinformation—turns into a torrent.
Sir David claims to be lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, but this fails to recognize his relentless technological curiosity and appetite for innovation in media storytelling. This is reflected in his insistence on budget for color film stock to film Zoo Quest when the BBC was only broadcasting in black and white.
He knew the world would catch up. Sir David’s career also shows us that winning and maintaining trust and authority is just as important as winning attention for anyone wanting to protect the natural world for the future.”
52-year-old Pablo Valladares is a Galápagos naturalist guide for local land-based tour company Galakiwi, and a husband and father of two boys, who has lived in the islands for 28 years. His passion was rewarded in 2018, when he won Top Conservation Guide at the Wanderlust World Guide Awards.
“When I was three or four years old, my mother showed me my first giant tortoise—and I never forgot that moment. Later, when I was seven, my father gave me a map of the Galápagos Islands and told me, “These are the Galápagos Islands, and they belong to us.”
My father served in the navy and traveled to the Galápagos many times, bringing back photos and stories that fueled my curiosity. I knew I had to come here one day. Years later, I studied biology at the University of Guayaquil and eventually came to the islands as a volunteer for six months—28 years ago. I fell in love with this place, and as a guide, I now have the privilege of sharing my passion and deep connection to the Galápagos with our guests.
I was lucky enough to meet Sir David Attenborough on June 12th, 2012—my birthday. I welcomed him at Isabela airport and the opportunity to work with him in the making of Galápagos 3D, specifically filming in the southern part of Isabela island, was fantastic. His kindness, humbleness, charm and passion for nature came across in abundance.
It was an honor and a privilege to have met him and his daughter, Susan. The picture I’ve shared was taken at La Playa del Amor near Puerto Villamil on Isabela on June 15th 2012, when our son, Kian Valladares, was just 10 months old. It was a beautiful moment with my favorite naturalist.”
From the age of five, Sir David Attenborough grew up on the campus of the University of Leicester where his father Frederick was principal, and the family have maintained a strong link to the university since. In 2016, professor Richard Thomas, based at the university for the past 22 years where he is Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, and a Professor of Archaeology, was approached to lead a team investigating the life and untimely death of Jumbo, the Victorian celebrity animal superstar whose story is said to have inspired the film Dumbo, for a 2017 BBC documentary. As well as gaining unique access to Jumbo’s skeleton at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), the project was a career highlight for Thomas, as he worked with his childhood hero Sir David Attenborough.
“Working alongside Sir David has unquestionably been the highlight of my professional career. Like many, watching Sir David’s documentaries on Sunday evenings with my family was incredibly formative during my childhood, inspiring my own love of natural history. His knowledge, passion and curiosity for all aspects of our natural world was wonderful to observe first-hand.
It started when Humblebee Films got in touch about a documentary they wanted to develop for the BBC and CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) on the life of Jumbo. Nothing happened for a while, but then I received a phone call saying they had secured the commission and was I prepared to work with Sir David Attenborough for the BBC version and David Suzuki for a parallel CBC program? I don’t think I drew breath before answering!
It was a joy to watch Sir David at work. As we undertook the scientific analysis, Sir David asked questions and absorbed the information we generated. He has this amazing ability to take complex technical information and present it to camera in an engaging and accessible way. It was so clear that Sir David has an innate thirst for knowledge: I vividly remember one day when he joined us with a bundle of new books under his arm that he had just bought from the AMNH library, including on novel topics in natural history research, such as epigenetics.
Sir David is an expert storyteller with the ability to engender a love for natural history and effect positive change. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside Sir David, and for the impact his inspiring work has had on my professional career: I wish him a very happy 100th birthday!”
Fabián Oviedo Freire is a Galápagos National Park Directorate Ranger whose work helps to monitor activities such as fishing within the Galápagos Marine Reserve, ensure visitor safety, and enforce regulations to protect wildlife and maintain the islands’ ecological balance.
“My inspiration to share stories about nature came about from watching Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries. His passion, dedication and deep respect for the environment left an indelible mark on me.
I consider myself truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to share an incredible moment with Sir David, presenting him with the uniform of an honorary Galápagos National Park Directorate Ranger—a moment of not only recognition for his impact on Galápagos, but also a symbol of his commitment to conservation and love for our land.
Shaking his hand was, without a doubt, an honor that I will always cherish, a gesture filled with admiration and gratitude. That experience reaffirmed my calling and strengthened my desire to continue communicating and protecting the natural wealth that surrounds us.
Without a doubt, his example continues to guide every step I take on this journey.”
With a special interest in wildlife, conservation, sustainability and adventure, travel journalist Lauren Jarvis has traveled across all seven continents , from trekking to Everest Base Camp and canoeing the Yukon River, to hiking and driving some of Australia’s most epic off-road tracks through the Outback. With over 25 years’ experience, she is the editor of JRNY Magazine, and previously, launched and edited National Geographic Kids magazine in the UK for six years, during which time she interviewed Sir David Attenborough on several occasions.
“Like many people, my love of nature and wildlife was sparked by Sir David Attenborough and the BBC Natural History Unit’s natural history documentaries. Watching with my mum from a garden-free maisonette in south London, the destinations were a world away, but Sir David put them firmly on my map. Now a travel magazine editor, I can trace my career trail directly back to those life-changing, wonder-inducing shows.
A career in youth publishing led me to a dream job, launching and editing National Geographic Kids magazine in the UK; opportunities to interview Sir David, who had started working with Disney Nature at the time, followed.
My first interview with David was in a hotel. I was beyond nervous and had no doubt I’d mess up. And I probably did, but Sir David answered every question with that same sense of enthusiasm, patience and depth of understanding I saw every Sunday night on the BBC. The only difference was that he was talking—in that comforting, kind and unmistakable voice—directly to me.
The next time I saw him, he was launching a butterfly project at London Zoo. After the event, I saw him hailing a cab and to my surprise, he asked if I’d like to share. Chatting about the UK’s wildlife, I was simultaneously starstruck and relaxed; so much so that when the taxi pulled up at my stop, I continued to jabber until Sir David gently reminded me it was time to jump out…
A few months later, I was invited to interview him over afternoon tea at his home, to talk about the BBC series, Frozen Planet. His cottage was everything you’d imagine Sir David Attenborough’s home to be—a treasure trove of books, art and sculptures from around the world. To this day, that was one of the most special afternoons of my life: Talking at length with this inspirational man will forever be a highlight of my career. I was so excited though that I left my dictaphone down the side of his sofa and had to sheepishly ask for it to be posted back.
They say never meet your heroes, but Sir David was, and is, everything you imagine him to be and more. Unique, irreplaceable and the most influential advocate for nature the world has ever known, he’s changed the way so many of us view this amazing planet we call home. Happy 100th birthday, Sir David: Thank you for showing us all just how magical our world can be.”
Gavin Thurston is a BAFTA- and Emmy-award-winning cinematographer who has traveled the world with Sir David Attenborough, having worked together on several documentaries across the world for the past 40 years.
“Sir David Attenborough is the voice for our planet and I have been very fortunate to be able to work with him over the past four decades.
We have filmed together at both the Poles and across seven continents. Sir David has created a legacy of series about all aspects of the natural world, a comprehensive ’snapshot’ of our planet at the start of the Anthropocene era.
During that time, we have met and worked with many scientists and students, experts in their various fields, and the driving force behind the expanding knowledge about Earth. What is extraordinary is that a large majority of those scientists were inspired to go into the field of science because of David’s programs. I can say the same: He inspired me through BBC’s Life on Earth and is both a mentor and friend.
I know David is not a fan of birthdays, particularly his own. No-one really wants reminding of their age! However, I wish David the happiest and healthiest of birthdays for his 100th on Planet Earth.”
Jo Ruxton is a conservationist who set up Ocean Generation (formerly Plastic Oceans) after being inspired and working on documentaries with Sir David Attenborough. They translate complex ocean science into engaging content, and run three UNESCO-endorsed Ocean Literacy programs for children and young adults. Their aim is to engage 50 million people in ocean education and action by 2030.
“I first met Sir David when I was working on the Blue Planet series. I was already pinching myself in that moment but what struck me instantly was his humility. He honestly made me feel as though all his life he had been waiting to meet me—not the other way round.
He is a joy to work with—his knowledge, his humor and his appetite for new stories and facts is beyond measure. He also really listens. He must know more about the natural world than anyone on Earth but he gives you his full attention, takes in everything and then delivers it in a way that seems as though it is the only subject he has ever studied—and in that voice of his!
He leaned into our plastic campaign with so much passion and he has already given us the opening piece for our next film. It is a true privilege to have worked with David: No-one will replace him and no-one should try. There is so much more I want to say but in so few words, I hope I have done him justice.”
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Follow their work @oceangeneration
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London-born-and-bred with a Ugandan-Indian heritage, Meera Dattani is Adventure.com's executive editor and an award-winning freelance travel journalist. Her stories center on food and cultural heritage, wildlife and conservation, and soft adventure, often through a lens of decolonizing and modernizing travel writing. Her work has been published in National Geographic Traveller, BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveller, Olive magazine and many others.
