10 things you probably never knew about Sir David Attenborough
Last year, the undisputed king of wildlife TV, Sir David Attenborough, celebrated his 90th birthday. As he enters his 91st, we decided to learn a bit more about one of the most recognisable voices in the world.
1. There’s one animal he detests – The humble rat is the one critter that has never won over the legendary presenter. “They are the ultimate horrible thing,” he once told the BBC.
2. He has a favourite shooting location – Central Europe. “Because I know it least and because I can get decent food and a reasonable bottle of cheap wine.”
3.He was at the centre of a murder mystery – In 2011, a human skull was found in his backyard which led to investigators solving a gruesome 132-year-old London murder.
4. He doesn’t let his success go to his head – Before he turned 75 and was given lifetime business class flights, he always flew economy and would only take an upgrade if his camera crew could get one too.
5. If he wasn’t a wildlife expert… – He’d be a teacher.
6. His favourite holiday spot isn’t what you’d expect – West Wales. “In the 1940s, I was in the Navy and stationed in Pembrokeshire, and we used to take our children there on holiday.”
7. He’s the most honorarily-decorated person on earth – Attenborough holds a very impressive 32 honorary degrees from universities around the UK.
8. There are lots of things named after him – His name has been lent to species of extinct reptiles, butterflies, plants and even the research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough – the same ship that the public voted to name “Boaty McBoatface”.
9. You can thank him for some of your favourite shows – Aside from his own incredible programs, as a director of programming for BBC Two in the ‘60s and ’70s, Attenborough gave the green light to shows like Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Porridge, The Old Grey Whistle Test and even televised snooker.
10. He has no plans to retire – “It would be boring, wouldn’t it?”
Tell us in the comments below, what’s your favourite program by Sir David Attenborough?
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