The world’s most famous voice of nature is reaching a milestone that is as rare as some of the species he has filmed. Sir David Attenborough will turn 100 years old on May 8, 2026. To celebrate a century of wonder, the BBC has officially pulled back the curtain on a massive week-long television "season" dedicated to the man who brought the wild into our living rooms.
Who Is Sir David Attenborough? A Kid-Friendly Life Story
Think of Sir David as Earth's storyteller. Born in 1926 in a small English town, he grew up collecting fossils and bugs. As a boy, he'd watch birds and dream big. After school, he joined BBC in 1952, starting with black-and-white animal clips.
His breakthrough? Life on Earth in 1979. It changed TV forever, using color cameras to show gorillas up close. Since then, series like The Blue Planet revealed plastic-choked seas, sparking clean-up drives worldwide.
He's nabbed tons of awards—Emmys for narration, even a record as oldest Daytime Emmy winner at 99 for orangutan docs. Knighted by the Queen, he's a "national treasure," though he shrugs it off. At 99, he still films, saying the ocean's his final frontier.
The Grand Announcement: A Week of Wildlife Magic
On February 18, 2026, BBC bosses confirmed that they are going "all out" to honor Sir David’s centenary. Jack Bootle, the BBC’s Head of Commissioning for Specialist Factual, shared that it is "impossible to overstate" the impact Sir David has had on the world.
The celebration will be anchored by three brand-new shows and a massive live event that will bring the nation together.
Key Dates and Programming Schedule
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The New Shows You Can't Miss
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth (The Live Event)
On his actual birthday, May 8, a spectacular live celebration will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This isn't your average birthday bash. The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform live music from his most famous series like Planet Earth and Blue Planet. Reports suggest that high-profile guests, including Prince William (a long-time fan and collaborator of Sir David), are likely to attend.
Secret Garden: Exploring Your Back Door
Think you know your backyard? Think again. In this new five-part series, Sir David takes us on a journey through British gardens. He reveals that even in a small patch of grass, "rules of the wild" still apply.
- What to see: Pine martens in Scotland, dormice in Wales, and otters in Oxfordshire.
- The Goal: To show that 80% of us have gardens, and together, they are bigger than all of the UK's nature reserves combined.
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure
This documentary takes us back to 1979, the year Sir David changed TV forever with the original Life on Earth.
- Behind the Scenes: The crew reveals how they were shot at in Rwanda and how they navigated a military coup in the Comoros just to get the shot.
- Classic Moments: It features fresh interviews reflecting on the iconic moment Sir David sat with mountain gorillas—a scene often voted the best in TV history.
David Attenborough to celebrate 100th birthday with three new BBC shows and Albert Hall bash https://t.co/sqX1bm7kjT
— TWTWTW This Week This Week This Week (@PeterChurcher2) February 19, 2026
Celebrating 100years of environmental degradation & death (TWTWTW)
What's Next After Birthday Week?
Post-May, Secret Garden full run. More radio tributes. Global events like choral sings. Sir David hints at ocean projects.dailymail.
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