Over the years, his voice has become an iconic backing to some of the BBC’s most loved documentaries, from the Planet Earth series to Frozen Planet.

Both on and off screen, he has also shared his wisdom on how we can help the planet.

As the country celebrates the milestone day for the broadcaster and naturalist, here are some of his most memorable quotes.

David Attenborough’s career as TV star turns 100

Sir David was born on May 8 1926, in London, the son of an academic and principal of University College, Leicester.

Before joining the BBC in 1952, he studied geology at the University of Cambridge and served two years in the Royal Navy, before earning his reputation with the groundbreaking Zoo Quest series, which he hosted for 10 years on the BBC.

In 1965, he became controller of BBC Two, overseeing the advent of colour TV, and he later became BBC director of programming, but life as a broadcast executive did not appeal, and he returned to his passion for filming wildlife.

His recognisable whispering voice became a household sound in 1979 when he was seen mingling and bonding with a family of gorillas in Life On Earth and its sequel, The Living Planet, in 1984.

The following year, he was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II before being awarded a Knight Grand Cross honour in 2022.

Sir David Attenborough was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2022 (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

The TV presenter has two children, Susan and Robert, with his late wife Jane, whom he married in 1950, while his late brother Richard was a well-known actor and film director, who starred in movies such as The Great Escape, Doctor Dolittle and Jurassic Park.

In recent years, Sir David, who resides in Richmond, has presented shows including Dynasties, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.

David Attenborough’s most memorable quotes

Sir David Attenborough’s hushed but excited tones have been heard in living rooms around the world for many years.

Here are just some of his most memorable quotes:

• “It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

• “The future of the natural world, on which we all depend, is in our hands”

• “I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored.

• “The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?”

• “It is vital that there is a narrator figure whom people believe. That’s why I never do commercials. If I started saying that margarine was the same as motherhood, people would think I was a liar.”

• “You know, it’s a terrible thing to appear on television, because people think you actually know what you’re talking about.”

• “I don’t run a car, have never run a car. I could say that this is because I have this extremely tender environmentalist conscience, but the fact is I hate driving.”

• “If I can make programmes when I’m 95, that would be fine. But I would think I’ll have had enough by then.”

• “You have to steer a course between not appalling people, but at the same time not misleading them.”

You’re cordially invited to Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday bash at the Royal Albert Hall

Kirsty Young presents David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth on Friday 8 May on #iPlayer and BBC One

Full details ➡️ https://t.co/nbnf2ZtcDK pic.twitter.com/o7KEr0r3wt

— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) April 28, 2026

• “I don’t think we are going to become extinct. We’re very clever and extremely resourceful – and we will find ways of preserving ourselves, of that I’m sure. But whether our lives will be as rich as they are now is another question.”

• “An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfilment.”

• “Our planet may be home to 30 million different kinds of animals and plants. Each individual locked in its own life-long fight for survival. Everywhere you look, on land or in the ocean, there are extraordinary examples of the lengths living things go to to stay alive.”

• “Ever since we arrived on this planet as a species, we’ve cut them down, dug them up, burnt them and poisoned them. Today we’re doing so on a greater scale than ever.”

Sir David Attenborough marks his 100th birthday today (May 8) (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)

• “There are some four million different kinds of animals and plants in the world. Four million different solutions to the problems of staying alive.”

• “Reptiles and amphibians are sometimes seen as simple, primitive creatures. That’s a long way from the truth. The fact that they are solar-powered means that their bodies require only 10% of the energy that mammals of a similar size require. At a time when we ourselves are becoming increasingly concerned about the way in which we get our energy from the environment and the wasteful way in which we use it, maybe there are things that we can learn from Life In Cold Blood”.

Recommended reading:

• “A hundred years ago, there were one-and-a-half billion people on Earth. Now, over six billion crowd our fragile planet. But even so, there are still places barely touched by humanity.”

What is your favourite David Attenborough documentary series? Let us know in the comments (or in the poll above).

Originally started by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc back in 1984, the now Belmond-owned spot has been one of the UK’s most cherished restaurants.

In the four decades of its existence, Le Manoir has retained its two Michelin stars, including for 2025, making it 41 years in a row.

It is currently closed temporarily, having shut its doors on New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1, 2026) for a year and a half of refurbishments and renovations.

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Because of this, Le Manoir has lost both of its Michelin stars for the first time in its 42-year history.

This makes The Nut Tree Inn in Murcott near Kidlington the only establishment in Oxfordshire with a Michelin star, having held one since 2008.

The Le Manoir team will be looking to recoup their two star when the hotel and restaurant reopen in the summer of 2027.

In the meantime, old kitchen equipment from the cherished establishment is now up for sale via auction.

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Multiple items, including baking trays, wooden boards, moulds, crockery, serving plates, cloches, a food processor and more, are all available to buy.

The kit is listed with MST Auctioneers, a 35-year-old firm based in East Devon’s Honiton, for £100s collectively.

Le Manoir will now be aiming to retain its two Michelin stars and add a third next year, with both the renovations and the acquisition of a new Culinary Director both being central to this pursuit.

Arnaud Donckele, appointed to the role, said: “To bring my cuisine to the UK for the first time, at a place as magical and meaningful as Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, is a profound honour.

The Spice Girl and her husband, former Manchester United and England footballer Sir David Beckham, have lived in Oxfordshire for around a decade.

The couple, who have a Cotswolds mansion in Great Tew near Chipping Norton, have been embroiled in a public family feud for some time now.

In January, this came to a head as their eldest son, Brooklyn, made explosive allegations in a lengthy Instagram post.

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He claimed his mother “hijacked” his first dance with his wife, Nicola Peltz, and danced “inappropriately on me” in front of their guests, adding that he had never felt more “uncomfortable or humiliated” in his life.

And he also alleged that his wife had been “disrespected” by his family and was not invited to his father’s 50th birthday party.

But in more positive news for the fashion icon, Lady Beckham has now teased the idea of a Spice Girls hologram show, similar to the successful ABBA Voyage.

In a chat with SiriusXM radio, the singer-turned-designer explained that she and bandmates Mel B, Geri Halliwell-Horner, Mel C and Emma Bunton have discussed the idea.

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This would be a live show where lifelike digital versions of the group perform their classic tracks.

“I think it would be a great idea,” she said.

“The principle of it would be great… We were talking about it at dinner, but we’ll see.”

Voyage hit the one million visitor milestone in April 2023 and has since attracted four times that audience, racking up 1,415 performances since its 2022 launch.

It has generated more than £2.06billion for the UK economy and kept crowds collectively enthralled for over 141,500 hours.