He has set the standards for natural history storytelling with his distinctive narration and one of the most recognisable voices on the planet and in the process reached billions worldwide. Sir David Attenborough has shaped public understanding of the natural world more profoundly than pretty much any other figure on earth, so he richly deserves to enjoy a day of celebrations to mark the wonderful milestone of reaching 100-years-old, on 8 May, 2026.

Proudly, the UK are preparing to display a wave of national admiration for his unparalleled contribution to natural history broadcasting. On 7 May, fans gathered in Trafalgar Square, central London, with many of them dressed as animals or in Attenborough-inspired outfits, to sing Happy Birthday to the TV icon. Then on his special day the centrepiece of the national festivities will be a 90-minute live event at the Royal Albert Hall. The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform iconic scores from his most famous wildlife sequences, including the racer snakes vs. iguanas chase from Planet Earth II and the orca wave-hunting scenes from Frozen Planet II.

His life’s work has inspired generations to appreciate, protect, and fight for the natural world. It began back in the 1950s with Zoo Quest, which was a pioneering series that brought global wildlife into British homes for the first time. However it is his incredible “Life Collection” – a series of nine monumental documentary projects beginning with Life on Earth, followed by such masterpieces as: Planet Earth, The Blue Planet, and Frozen Plane – that he is best known for. Those programmes revolutionised wildlife film making with their groundbreaking cinematography.

He has lizards, bats, frogs, weevils, flatworms, snails and spiders already named after him and to mark his centenary he has had an entirely new genus named in his honour. A tiny parasitic ichneumon wasp, with a body just 3.5mm long, will now be known as Attenboroughnculus tau.

In the later decades of his career, Sir David has increasingly used his platform to warn about biodiversity loss, climate change, and the fragility of Earth’s ecosystems. He rightly has been recognised, winning BAFTA awards in black-and-white, colour, HD, 3D, and 4K formats, reflecting his unmatched longevity and adaptability. He has also received dozens of honorary degrees, international prizes, and global accolades, and is widely regarded as a national treasure.