The BBC has announced that Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday will be celebrated on May 8 with a week of special programming that features the presenter’s new and beloved old shows.
The BBC is set to mark the host’s milestone with three special programmes, featuring both new commissions and archive favourites.
Making Life on Earth
Among the new titles is “Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure”, a behind-the-scenes look into the groundbreaking 1979 BBC One Series as Attenborough travelled to 40 countries to film 600 wildlife species.
The new documentary will include interviews with him and members of the original crew, reflecting on the production of the series.
According to BBC, it will also touch on the challenges they faced along the way, including a coup in the Comoros, being shot at, and Attenborough’s famous encounter with gorillas in Rwanda.
Secret Garden
The biologist is also set to appear in a new series, “Secret Garden”, in which he will reveal the hidden worlds within Britain’s gardens.
Over the course of five episodes filmed 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 contribute to saving endangered species.
Additionally, the presenter will attend “David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth”, a live event from the Royal Albert Hall featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests.
Held on his birthday, the event will take audiences on a journey through a century of exploration and discovery in the natural world, seen through the lens of Attenborough’s extraordinary life.
It will feature dramatic wildlife stories, accompanied by live music from his programmes, alongside spoken reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world.
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Honouring a legacy
The week will also revisit episodes from Attenborough’s most-loved series including “Planet Earth”, “One Planet”, “Blue Planet”, “Frozen Planet” and his most recent special “Wild London”.
Jack Bootle, head of commissioning for specialist factual at the BBC, said: “It’s impossible to overstate what Sir David 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.
“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.”
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