Sir David Attenborough is celebrating his 100th birthday in 2026, but a close friend has revealed the one thing the beloved broadcaster 'hates' being called. Despite being widely regarded as a 'national treasure', Attenborough reportedly dislikes the moniker.
A Century of Adventure
As Britain's favourite naturalist and broadcaster, Attenborough has filled his life with purpose and extraordinary adventures. He has filmed more documentaries on plants and wildlife than any other person and has done more than his fair share to raise awareness about climate change.
As a result, David has become one of the UK's most treasured people, with many calling him a 'national treasure'. However, according to his TV colleague Mike Gunton, that title is not one he appreciates.
What the Friend Said
Mike Gunton, who worked as an executive producer on many of David's shows including Planet Earth, Africa, The Green Planet, and Dynasties, told the Metro that the nickname is not something Attenborough likes. Mike said: 'He hates it, by the way. If anybody says he's a national treasure, he sort of slightly raises his eyebrows and says, “Really?” That's a generational thing.'
Reflecting on his work, Mike added: 'The thing that he brings when he's on camera, on-screen, is – and it goes back to what you're saying about the national treasure – he's not interested in himself at all. He's just interested in telling you, in the most interesting and joyful and intense way, what's exciting and interesting about this piece of natural history. That's unfakeable – that only comes from fantastic knowledge and fantastic passion.'
Celebrating 100 Years
May 8th 2026 marks David's 100th birthday, a day that everyone is celebrating by tuning into some of his biggest and best documentaries from his career. With so many to choose from, some of his best include The Private Life of Plants, Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Prehistoric Planet, and Green Planet. Some of his more recent works include Secret Garden and A Gorilla Story.
