skip to main content

David Attenborough's 100th birthday to be celebrated with three new shows on BBC

David Attenborough receives a good reception when entering the Royal Box during day one of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on 1 July, 2024 in London
The BBC will mark David Attenborough's "extraordinary milestone" on 8 May with weeklong special programming featuring new and old shows by the presenter

David Attenborough's 100th birthday will be celebrated with three new shows, the BBC has announced.

The broadcaster will mark Attenborough's "extraordinary milestone" on 8 May with weeklong special programming featuring new and old shows by the presenter.

One of the new programmes, titled Making Life on Earth: Attenborough's Greatest Adventure, will go behind the scenes of the landmark BBC One series, which was first broadcast in 1979 and followed Attenborough as he travelled to 40 countries to film 600 species.

It will feature new interviews with the wildlife broadcaster and the original production team as they reflect on the making of Life on Earth and the challenges they faced along the way, including a coup in the Comoros, being shot at, and Attenborough's encounter with gorillas in Rwanda.

Attenborough will also appear in the new series Secret Garden, where he reveals the hidden worlds within Britain's gardens.

Over five episodes across the UK, the series will capture the rich diversity of life in Britain's back gardens while also reflecting on how the public can do their bit to save struggling species.

David Attenborough attends the Global Launch of BBC Studios' Planet Earth III at Frameless on 12 October, 2023 in London
One of the new programmes, titled Making Life on Earth: Attenborough's Greatest Adventure, will go behind the scenes of the landmark BBC One series, which was first broadcast in 1979 and followed David Attenborough as he travelled to 40 countries to film 600 species

The presenter will also appear in David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth, a live event from the Royal Albert Hall featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests.

The week will also see special episodes from Attenborough's most-loved series, including Planet Earth II; Seven Worlds, One Planet; Blue Planet II; Planet Earth III; Frozen Planet II; and his most-recent film Wild London, along with a dedicated collection of 40 of Attenborough's most-loved programmes on iPlayer.

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning for Specialist Factual at the BBC, said it would be "impossible to overstate" what Attenborough "has given us".

"His programmes have not only defined science and natural history broadcasting, but they have also changed how we see our planet and our place within it," he continued.

"This special week is a celebration of an extraordinary milestone and of a body of work that continues to inspire awe, curiosity, and care for the natural world.

"It's also a moment for all of us at the BBC to say thank you to David - for his generosity, for his brilliance, and for a lifetime spent bringing the wonders of nature into our homes."

Source: Press Association

Click here for more television news.

Read Next