Sir David Attenborough (8th May 1926) is a broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the respected face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years. He is best known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of all life on the planet. He is also a former senior manager at the BBC, having served as controller of BBC Two and director of programming for BBC Television in the 1960s and 1970s.
He is the younger brother of director, producer and actor Richard Attenborough.
Known For
The Deepest Breath
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
(2020)
Self
Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet
(2021)
Self
The Year Earth Changed
(2021)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Deep Blue
(2003)
Self
Full Filmography
Acting
Zoo Quest to West Africa
(1955)
Self
Elsa the Lioness
(1961)
Self
A Blank on the Map
(1971)
Himself - Presenter
At Home with Badgers
(1978)
Narrator
An Everyday Miracle
(1981)
Narrator
A Zed & Two Noughts
(1985)
Himself - Documentary Narrator (voice)
The Trials of Life
(1990)
Presenter/Narrator
A TV Dante
(1990)
Himself
Killer Whales: Wolves of the Sea
(1993)
Narrator
The Private Life of Plants
(1995)
himself
World of Wildlife: African Big Cats
(1995)
Self - Narrator
Survival Island
(1996)
Narrator
Attenborough in Paradise
(1996)
Self - Narrator
Sperm Whales: Back from the Abyss
(1996)
Narrator
Leopard: The Agent of Darkness
(1997)
Self
Humpback Whale: The Giant of the Oceans
(1997)
Self
The Dragons of Galapagos
(1998)
Narrator
The Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth
(1999)
Self - Presenter / Narrator
Satoyama I: Japan's Secret Watergarden
(1999)
Narrator
Islands of the Vampire Birds
(1999)
Narrator
Tiger: The Elusive Princess
(1999)
Narrator (voice)
The Lost Gods of Easter Island
(2000)
Himself - Presenter
Lions: Spy in the Den
(2000)
Narrator
Bowerbirds: The Art of Seduction
(2000)
Narrator
The Song of the Earth
(2000)
Narrator
Great Natural Wonders of the World
(2002)
Presenter
Life on Air: David Attenborough's 50 Years in Television
(2002)
Himself
Attenborough the Controller
(2002)
Self
Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe
(2002)
Self (voice)
Smart Sharks: Swimming With Roboshark
(2003)
Self
Deep Blue
(2003)
Self
The Many Lives of Richard Attenborough
(2003)
The Amber Time Machine
(2004)
Narrator
Bears: Spy in the Woods
(2004)
Satoyama II: Japan's Secret Watergarden
(2004)
Narrator
Kea: The Smartest Parrot
(2005)
A War on Science
(2006)
Self
Natural World: Desert Lions
(2006)
himself
Can We Save Planet Earth?
(2006)
Gorillas Revisited with Sir David Attenborough
(2007)
Presenter
Trek - Spy on the Wildebeest
(2007)
Attenborough Explores... Our Fragile World
(2007)
Himself - Presenter
Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth
(2008)
Narrator
Clever Monkeys
(2008)
Narrator
Superfish
(2008)
Self - Narrator
Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life
(2009)
Narrator
The Link: Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor
(2009)
Himself - Presenter / Narrator
How Many People Can Live On Planet Earth
(2009)
Narrator (Voice)
Attenborough's Journey
(2010)
Self
Mad and Bad: 60 Years of Science on TV
(2010)
Himself
Birds of Paradise
(2010)
Self
Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough
(2011)
Self - Presenter / Narrator
Attenborough and the Giant Egg
(2011)
Self - Presenter
Desert Seas
(2011)
Narrator (voice)
Animal House
(2011)
The Secrets of Scott's Hut
(2011)
Himself
The Penguin King
(2012)
Self - Narrator
Attenborough: 60 Years in the Wild
(2012)
Self - Presenter
Tales of Television Centre
(2012)
Superfish: Bluefin Tuna
(2012)
Hummingbirds: Jewelled Messengers
(2012)
Narrator
Hot Tuna
(2012)
Narrator
Attenborough's Ark
(2012)
Narrator
When Björk Met Attenborough
(2013)
Self
Galapagos with David Attenborough
(2013)
Self - Presenter
Edwardian Insects on Film
(2013)
Self
Autopsy on a Dream
(2013)
Self
David Attenborough: The Early Years
(2013)
Self
Legends of the Deep: The Giant Squid
(2013)
Self - Narrator
The Mating Game
(2013)
Narrator
Africa: The Greatest Show On Earth
(2013)
Narrator
David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive
(2014)
Self - Presenter
Fabulous Frogs
(2014)
Self - Narrator
Björk: Biophilia Live
(2014)
Self - Opening Sequence (voice)
The Bat Man of Mexico
(2014)
Self
Mountain Lions: Big Cats in High Places
(2014)
Narrator
Attenborough's Paradise Birds
(2015)
Self - Presenter
David Attenborough Meets President Obama
(2015)
Self
Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks
(2015)
Self - Narrator
Deep Ocean: The Lost World of the Pacific
(2015)
Self – Narrator
Cue the Queen: Celebrating the Christmas Speech
(2015)
Self
Attenborough's Big Birds
(2015)
Narrator
Cougars Undercover
(2015)
Self
Africa's Fishing Leopards
(2015)
Narrator (voice)
Zoo Quest in Colour
(2016)
Self
Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur
(2016)
Self - Presenter
Attenborough at 90: Behind the Lens
(2016)
Self
Attenborough's Life That Glows
(2016)
Self - Presenter
Jaguars: Brazil's Super Cats
(2016)
Attenborough at 90
(2016)
Self
Attenborough and the Giant Elephant
(2017)
Self - Presenter
And the Winner Isn't
(2017)
Self
Planet Earth II: A World of Wonder
(2017)
Self - Presenter
David Attenborough's Ant Mountain
(2017)
Self - Presenter
Richmond Park National Nature Reserve
(2017)
Self
Attenborough and the Empire of the Ants
(2017)
Self – Presenter
Richard Batterham, Master Potter
(2017)
Self
Puerto Rico: Island of Enchantment
(2017)
Narrator
Amazing Mighty Micro Monsters 3D
(2017)
Narrator
Hotel Armadillo
(2017)
Self - Narrator
Cheetahs: Growing Up Fast
(2017)
Narrator (voice)
Attenborough and the Sea Dragon
(2018)
Self
Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs
(2018)
Self - Presenter
The Queen's Green Planet
(2018)
Self
Pangolins: The World's Most Wanted Animal
(2018)
Narrator (voice)
Deep Ocean: Descent into the Mariana Trench
(2018)
Self - Narrator
David Attenborough's Tasmania
(2018)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Whale Wisdom
(2018)
Self - Narrator
Into the Jungle
(2018)
Self - Narrator
The Making of David Attenborough's Ant Mountain
(2018)
Deep Ocean: Giants of the Antarctic Deep
(2018)
Narrator
Climate Change: The Facts
(2019)
Self - Presenter
Our Planet: Behind The Scenes
(2019)
Self - Narrator
Wild Karnataka
(2019)
Self - Narrator
The Forum
(2019)
Self
Dragons and Damsels
(2019)
Self - Narrator
Timelapse of the Future: A Journey to the End of Time
(2019)
Narrator (archive sound)
Tasmania: Weird and Wonderful
(2019)
Narrator
The Egg: Life’s Perfect Invention
(2019)
Narrator
Hippos: Africa's River Giants
(2019)
Narrator
Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy
(2020)
Self
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
(2020)
Self
Extinction: The Facts
(2020)
Self - Presenter
Sir David Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin in Conversation
(2020)
Self
Prince William: A Planet For Us All
(2020)
Self
Planet Earth: A Celebration
(2020)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Chris Packham: 7.7 Billion People and Counting
(2020)
Self
The Year Earth Changed
(2021)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet
(2021)
Self
Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
(2021)
Self - Narrator
Attenborough’s Journey
(2021)
Self
Parkinson at 50
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
Attenborough's Wonder of Song
(2022)
Self - Presenter
Dinosaurs: The Final Day with David Attenborough
(2022)
Self - Presenter
The Deepest Breath
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster
(2024)
Self - Presenter
Secret Lives of Orangutans
(2024)
Self - Narrator (voice)
Writing
Zoo Quest to West Africa
(1955)
Writer
A Blank on the Map
(1971)
Screenplay
Attenborough in Paradise
(1996)
Writer
Islands of the Vampire Birds
(1999)
Writer
The Lost Gods of Easter Island
(2000)
Screenplay
Bowerbirds: The Art of Seduction
(2000)
Writer
The Song of the Earth
(2000)
Writer
Deep Blue
(2003)
Writer
Natural World: Desert Lions
(2006)
Script Consultant
Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life
(2009)
Writer
Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough
(2011)
Writer
Attenborough's Ark
(2012)
Writer
Galapagos with David Attenborough
(2013)
Writer
David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive
(2014)
Writer
Attenborough and the Empire of the Ants
(2017)
Writer
Production
Crew
Sound