David Attenborough filmography

The following is a chronological list of television series and individual programmes where Sir David Attenborough is credited as writer, presenter, narrator or producer. In a career spanning seven decades, Attenborough's name has become synonymous with the natural history programmes produced by the BBC Natural History Unit.

Major projects

1950s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1952Coelacanth-The rediscovery of the prehistoric coelacanth. Attenborough's first programme for the BBC (as producer). Presented by Julian Huxley. 10-minute-long episodes.ProducerNo
1952Animal, Vegetable, Mineral-Quiz show based on the game Twenty Questions, which ran until 1959. Scientists would try to guess the origin of specimens from museum and university collections. Episode list: "Belfast Museum and Art Gallery"; "Bankfield Museum"; "The Royal Scottish Museum"; "Royal Albert Memorial" (all 1953).ProducerNo
1953Song Hunter6x20 minFolk music, presented by and featuring performances by Alan Lomax.ProducerNo
1953The Pattern of Animals-Animal camouflage, warning signals and courtship displays. Presented by Julian Huxley. 3 episodes. Attenborough's first natural history series.ProducerNo
1954Zoo Quest6x30 minA series of multi-part nature documentaries broadcast on BBC Television between 1954 and 1963. It was the first major programme to feature Attenborough. Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1955Zoo Quest to Guiana6x30 minSecond Zoo Quest expedition. History of South America.Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1956Zoo Quest for a Dragon6x30 minThis Zoo Quest series features the first known footage of the Komodo dragon.Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1957Quest for the Paradise Birds6x30 minAttenborough's first trip to the island of New Guinea in an attempt to film the courtship displays of the native birds of paradise. Episodes: "Base Camp in New Guinea"; "Into the Stone Age"; "People of the Wahgi Valley"; "Pygmies and Paradise Birds".Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1959Zoo Quest in Paraguay6x30 minFifth Zoo Quest. Attenborough returned to South America and visited the grasslands and wetlands of Paraguay. Episode list: "Return from the Chaco"; "Cactus Island in the Desert"; "The Gran Chaco"; "Argentine Excursion"; "Oven Birds and Capybaras"; "Butterfly Birds" and "Armadillos". Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo

1960s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1960The People of Paradise6x30 minAnthropology and natural history of the South Pacific. Episode list: “The Land Divers of Pentecost”, “Cargo Cult", “The Fire Walkers of Fiji”, “Outer Islands of Fiji”.Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1960Elsa the Tamworth Lioness1x30 minFollowing Joy and George Adamson as they search for Elsa and her three cubs.Producer and presenterNo
1960Travellers' Tales-Long-running series made by Attenborough's BBC Travel and Exploration Unit, which also featured Armand and Michaela Denis's on Safari programmes. Episodes associated with Attenborough: "Savage New Guinea"; "Festival in Kano"; "Hill Tribes of the Deccan"; "White Elephant"; "Men of the Dream Time"; "Caribbean Expedition"; "Hunters of Spitzbergen"; "The Opium People"; "The Leg Rowers of Burma"; "Chop! Music and Zulu Dancing"; "Adriatic Journey"; "Antarctic Adventure"; "Dancing Dervishes"; "In Search of Stanley"; "Overland to Singapore"; "The Hidden Valley of Apa Tanis"; "Pygmies of the Congo"; "The Choco Indians of Colombia"; "Head Hunters and Giraffe Women"; "The Fur-trappers of Greenland"; "Lapland Summer"; "The Bird Cliffs of Lofoten"; "The Strange Creatures of Galapagos"; "Unknown India"; "Chinese Journey"; "The Ascent of Annapuma IV"; "'Sherpa'; Land of the Lost"; "The Land of the Gurkhas". Producer and/or narratorNo
1961Zoo Quest to Madagascar6x30 minExpedition to film and collect animals in Madagascar.Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1961Japan- History and culture of the Japanese people.ProducerNo
1962Destruction of the Indian-How contact with the modern world has affected remote Indian tribes of South America. 3 episodes.ProducerNo
1963Attenborough and Animals10x25 minFirst series for children. Comparing different species. Episodes: "Apes, Lemurs and Orang-utangs"; Armadilloes, Sloths and Anteaters; "Bird Architects – From the Argentine to Australia";"Bird Mysteries and Problems, Including the Rhea and the Birds of Paradise"; "Lizards from Australia, South America and Malaya"; "Crocodiles and Turtles – And How to Catch Them"; "Ants from America, Australia and Africa"; "Moths, Mud Wasps and Praying Mantises"; "Clams and Crabs from the Pacific and Indian Oceans".PresenterNo
1963Quest Under Capricorn6x30 minFinal Zoo Quest series, filmed in the Northern Territory of Australia, was also Attenborough's final natural history series before moving into BBC management. Episode list: “The Desert Gods”, “Hermits of Borolloola”, “The Artists of Arnhem Land”, “Bush Walkabout”, “The First Australians"; Buffalo, Geese and Men”. Writer, presenter, sound-recordist and producerNo
1965Zambezi3x50 minA journey down the Zambezi. Episode list: “Lord of the Land”, “The Ancient Highway”, “Livingstone's River”Writer and presenterNo
1967Life- East Africa-Series of interviews conducted by Attenborough with African conservationists. 3 episodes.Writer and presenterNo
1967The World About Us-Commissioned during his tenure as Controller of BBC Two, Attenborough narrated around 20 episodes of this long-running series between 1969 and 1982. Episode list: "Koko the Gorilla"; "Unatural History"; "Asmat – Cannibal craftsmen of New Guinea"; "The Predators"; "Courtship"; "Lions of Serengeti"; "Extinction"; "Goblins of the Forest"; "The Field – the Great Bustard"; "Elephant Kingdom"; "The Hyena Story"; "Baboons of Gombe"; "Baobab"; "Geese are only Human"; "Dangerous Venomous Animals"; "El Condor"; "Yanoamama – Sons of the Blood"; "A Sheltered Existence"; "The Discoverers:The 400 Edition of the World around Us"; "Wild Dogs of Africa"; "Woodpecker"; "Voices in the Forest"; "The underground Movement"; "Ghosts at the end of the World"; Greenpeace Voyages to save the Whale".NarratorNo
1969The Miracle of Bali3x50 minIndonesian island of Bali.Narrator and producerYes

1970s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1971A Blank on the Map1x60 minBikaru people in the New Guinea forest.Writer and presenterYes
1973Eastwards with Attenborough6x30 minFirst natural history series after resigning as BBC Controller took him to South East Asia. Episode list: "The Strange Caves Of Borneo", "Fire Giants Of Sumatra", "Mudbuilders Of Borneo", "Green Ceilings Of Borneo", "Borneo's Cathedral Of Trees", "Life And Death In Paradise". Writer and presenterNo
1973The Life Game1x90 minGenetics and evolution, written by Nigel Calder and produced by Adrian Malone.PresenterNo
1973Natural Break 15x10 minA series of short programmes based on archive footage, produced by John SparksPresenterNo
1973Flying Prince of Wildlife-The story of the conservation efforts of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1911–2004)PresenterNo
1973Royal Institution Christmas Lectures6x60minScience lectures on the language of animals. Episodes: "The Languages of Animals: Beware", "The Languages of Animals: Be Mine", "The Language of Animals: Parents and Children", "The Language of Animals:Foreign Languages", "The Languages of Animals: Animal Language, Human Language".Writer and presenterNo
1975The Explorers10x50 minRecreating the voyages of famous explorers, at the time the most expensive series ever commissioned by the BBC. Episode list: "The Story of Roald Amundsen", "The Story of Charles Montagu Doughty", "The Story of Henry Morton Stanley", "The Story of Burke And Wills", "The Story of Mary Kingsley", "The Story of Jedediah Strong Smith", "The Story of Alexander von Humboldt", "The Story of Captain James Cook", "The Story of Francisco Pizarro", "The Story of Christopher Columbus". Introducer and narratorNo
1975Fabulous Animals-Children's television series which featured Attenborough reading books about mythological creatures. Episode list: "Here be Monsters", "Marvels of the Deep", "Dragons and Serpents", "Winged Creatures", "Horns of Magic", "Man or Beast". PresenterNo
1975The Tribal Eye7x50 minTribal art, of which Attenborough is a keen collector. Writer and presenterYes
1976The Discoverers6x30 minPioneering explorers, discoverers and scientists in the field of natural history. Episode list: "The Bone Hunters”, “The Bug Collectors”, “The Wanderer and the Woodsman”, “The Unknown Ocean”, “The Rare and the Curious”. NarratorNo
1977Wildlife on One253x30 minHalf-hour natural history programmes for BBC One. Ran annually until 2005.NarratorNo
1979Life on Earth13x55 minThe history of life on Earth. Took 3 years to make - notable for its groundbreaking footage. Writer and presenterYes

1980s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1980The Spirit of Asia8x60 minThe cultures and religions of the people of Asia. Episodes list: "The World of Shadows", "The Morning of the World", "Land of the Cosmic Mountain", "The Story of Rama", "The Haunted Land", "Artists in Exile", "God-Kings of Angkor", "Land of a Million Buddhas". NarratorNo
1981The Ark in South Kensington-Story of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington.PresenterNo
1984The Living Planet12x55 minShowing how various living organisms have adapted to their surroundings. Writer and presenterYes
1985The Million Pound Bird Book1x60 minBiography of American naturalist John James Audubon.Writer and presenterNo
1986World Safari1x90 minA live television event featuring broadcasts from across the world.Co-presenterNo
1987The First Eden4x60 minThe Mediterranean.Writer and presenterYes
1989Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives4x40 minFossils, a passion that Attenborough has had since childhood. Writer and presenterYes

1990s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1990The Trials of Life12x50 minThe final part of the Trilogy of Life. Writer and presenterYes
1993QED "Gallop to Freedom"1x45 minThe release of Przewalski horsesNarratorNo
1993Life in the Freezer6x30 minThe natural history of Antarctica.Writer and presenterYes
1994Heart of a Nomad1x60 minExplorer and writer Wilfred Thesiger.PresenterNo
1995The Private Life of Plants6x50 minLife cycle of plants.Writer and presenterYes
1996Winners and Losers2x45 minFollowing life forms examined in the 1960s documentary The Rare Ones.NarratorNo
1996IMAX – "Survival Island"1x42 minVarious animal populations of South Georgia island.Writer and narratorYes
1998The Life of Birds10x50 minVarious species of birds and their ways of life.Writer and presenterYes
1998The Origin of Species: An Illustrated Guide1x30 minCharles Darwin's theory of evolution.NarratorNo
1999Sharks – The Truth1x50 minPart of BBC One's Shark Summer season.NarratorNo
1999They Said It Couldn't Be Done7x60 minAttenborough interviews wildlife film-makers at the Royal Geographical Society.PresenterNo

2000s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
2000State of the Planet3x50 minThe detrimental effect mankind has on environment.Writer and presenterYes
2000The Lost Gods of Easter Island1x50 minTracing the history of an Easter Island figure he bought at an auction in New York in the 1990s. Writer and presenterYes
2000Living with Dinosaurs1x50 minReasons why some reptiles living at the time of dinosaurs did not die out with them.NarratorNo
2000The Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth1x50 minChristmas special.PresenterNo
2000The Song of the Earth1x50 minA Natural History of Music. Included in the Attenborough DVD collection.PresenterYes
2001The Blue Planet8x50 minNatural history of the world's oceans. NarratorYes
2002The Life of Mammals10x50 minMammals, the most diverse group of animals ever to live on the planet. Writer and presenterYes
2002Great Natural Wonders of the World1x60 minSequel to The Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth.PresenterNo
2002Life on Air1x60 minDavid Attenborough's 50 Years in Television. Included in the Attenborough DVD collection.Guest IntervieweeYes
2004Satoyama: Japan's Secret Water Garden2x52 minHow the residents of a village in Satoyama live in harmony with nature.NarratorNo
2005Animal Crime Scene5x60 minExamination of "murder cases" in the animal kingdom. Episode list: "Outback Assassin", "Ocean Assassin", "Arctic Assassin", "African Assassin", "Amazon Assassin". NarratorNo
2005Life in the Undergrowth5x50 minInsects and invertebrates. Writer and presenterYes
2006Planet Earth11x50 minThe variety of the entire planet. Filmed over four years in 64 countries. NarratorYes
2006The Truth about Climate Change2x60 minDocumentary on issue of Global warming.Writer and presenterYes
2006Gorillas Revisited1x60 minRevisiting the group of Rwanda's mountain gorillasPresenterNo
2007Climate Change: Britain Under Threat1x60 minExamining the effects of climate change on Great Britain.PresenterNo
2007Tom Harrisson: The Barefoot Anthropologist1x60 minBiography of Tom Harrisson.PresenterNo
2007Attenborough Explores... Our Fragile World1x60 minThe issue of the global environmental crisis.Writer and presenterNo
2008Life in Cold Blood5x50 minThe life of reptiles and amphibians.Writer and presenterYes
2008Humpbacks: From Fire to Ice1x50 minThe humpback whale - made for Australian television.NarratorNo
2008Tiger: Spy in the Jungle3x60 minThe life of tiger cubs.Writer and presenterYes
2009Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life1x60 minDarwin's theory of evolution.Writer and presenterYes
2009Nature's Great Events6x50 minSome of the greatest annual wildlife events on the planet.NarratorYes
2009Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link1x60 minDocumentary coinciding with the announcement of a 47-million-year-old primate fossil.Writer and narratorYes
2009Life10x50 minWildlife from all over planet Earth in ten episodes. Writer and narratorYes

2010s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
2010David Attenborough's First Life2x60 minThe origin of life on Earth, investigating the evidence from the earliest fossils.Writer and presenterYes
2010The Death of the Oceans?1x60 minThe pressure of human population on world oceans.Writer and presenterYes
2010Flying Monsters 3D1x70 min3D film about pterosaurs.Writer and presenterYes
2011Madagascar3x60 minThe landscape and wildlife of Madagascar. NarratorYes
2011Attenborough and the Giant Egg1x60 minThe extinct "elephant bird" of Madagascar. Writer and presenterYes
2011Desert Seas1x 60 minWildlife off the coast of Saudi Arabia.NarratorNo
2011Frozen Planet7x60 minThe natural history of the polar regions. Narrator/presenterYes
2011The Penguin King1x75 minSky 3D film charting the lives of king penguins on South Georgia.Writer and narratorYes
2012Secrets of Wild India3x60 minIndian wildlife series, broadcast on Nat Geo Wild. Episodes: “Desert Lion”, “Elephant Kingdom”, “Tiger Jungles”. NarratorYes
2012Superfish: Bluefin Tuna1x60 minDocumentary on filming of the blue fin tuna in the wild.NarratorNo
2012Kingdom of Plants 3D3x60 min3D series filmed at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.Writer and presenterYes
2012Attenborough's Ark: A Natural World Special1x60 minTen endangered animals.Writer and presenterNo
2012Attenborough: 60 Years in the Wild3x60 minFollowing Attenborough's career in wildlife filming. Writer and presenterYes
2012Hummingbirds: Jewelled Messengers1x45 minHummingbirds.PresenterNo
2013Plants Behaving Badly2x45 min2-part special on plants. Episode list: “Murder and Mayhem”, “Sex and Lies”.PresenterYes
2013Galapagos 3D3x45 minSky 3D series on the Galapagos Islands. Writer and PresenterYes
2013David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities: Series 15x30 minEpisode list: “Stretched To The Limit”, “A Curious Hoax?”, “Young Wrinklies”, “A Curious Twist”, “Seeing the Pattern”. Writer and presenterYes
2013Africa6x60 minThe nature of the continent of Africa. Narrator/presenterYes
2013Micro Monsters 3D6x22 min3D filming techniques show lives of bugs and insects. Episode list: “Conflict”, “Predator”, “Courtship”, “Reproduction”, “Family”, “Colony”. Narrator/presenterYes
2013Wild Cameramen at Work4x30 minSeries looking at work of leading wildlife cameramen. Episode list: “Sky”, “Ice”, “Sea”, “Land”.Narrator/presenterNo
2013Attenborough's Rise of Animals: Triumph of the Vertebrates2x60 minThe 500 million year rise of vertebrates.Writer and presenterYes
2014Sir David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities: Series 210x30 minEpisode list: "Virgin Births", "Armoured Animals", "Life in the Dark", "Curious Imposters", "Bad Reputations", "Shocking Senses", "Life on Ice", "Spinners and Weavers", "Strange Parents", "Magical Appearances" Writer and presenterYes
2014David Attenborough's Natural History Museum Alive1x65 minDocumentary in which CGI imagery is used to bring to life several of the extinct animals housed in the Natural History Museum in London.Writer and presenterYes
2014Life Story6x60 minAnimals dealing with challenges in various stages of their life. Narrator and presenterYes
2015David Attenborough's Conquest of the Skies 3D3x60 minBirds, bats and flying insects. Writer and presenterYes
2015Attenborough's Paradise Birds60 minThe history of Paradise birds.Writer and presenterNo
2015David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities: Series 36x22 minEpisode list: "Impossible Feats"; "Curious Minds"; "Expandable Bodies"; "Curious Feeders"; "Curious Cures"; "Remarkable Regeneration" Writer and presenterYes
2015Wild City2x45 minTwo-part documentary series focusing on the wildlife of Singapore.NarratorYes
2015The Hunt7x60 minHunting strategies of key predators. PresenterYes
2016Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough3x60 minDocumentary series on the Great Barrier Reef to which Attenborough returns after 50 years. Writer and presenterYes
2016Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur1x60 minFollowing the excavation of bone remains of a gigantic dinosaur in southern Argentina.Writer and presenterYes
2016Attenborough's Life That Glows1x60 minVarious examples of bio-luminescence in the natural world.Writer and presenterYes
2016Attenborough's Passion Projects4x60 minAttenborough chooses four favorite documentaries from his 60 years of filming. Guest Interviewee & PresenterYes
2016 Planet Earth II 6x60 min Sequel series to Planet Earth. Narrator & Presenter Yes
2017David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities: Series 46x22 minEpisode list: "Animal Frankensteins"; "Finding the Way"; "Extreme Babies"; "Curious Counters"; "Incredible Shells"; "Ferocious Fighters" Writer and presenterYes
2017 Blue Planet II 7x60 min Sequel series to The Blue Planet. Narrator & Presenter Yes
2017Attenborough and the Giant Elephant1x60 minStory of "Jumbo" the famous elephant.Writer & PresenterNo
2018The Queen's Green Planet1x45 minExploring the gardens of Buckingham Palace with The Queen.PresenterNo
2018Attenborough and the Sea Dragon1x60 minSeries focusing on the ichthyosaur – a giant sea dragon that once ruled the oceans.Writer & PresenterNo
2018 David Attenborough's Tasmania[1] 1x50 min The story of the island of Tasmania diverse habitats, seasons and animals. NarratorTBA
2018 Dynasties[2] 5x60 min Episode list: "Lions", "Hunting Dogs", "Chimpanzees", "Tigers", "Emperor Penguins" Narrator & PresenterTBA

Other programmes

In addition to writing, presenting, narrating and producing his own documentaries, Sir David Attenborough has made regular appearances as an on-screen and off-screen participant in other film-makers' documentaries and on other numerous television programmes. The following list includes some of his more notable appearances plus long-running shows:

1950s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1953"The Dreaded Savage"-Alain Gheerbrant recounting his experiences among the Guaharibo Indians near the Orinoco.ProducerNo
1954"It's a Small World: Musical Toys "-Miniature toys.ProducerNo
1954"Out of Doors "-Hiking/camping/gardening. Episode list: "Camping in Comfort", "From the Studio".ProducerNo
1955"The Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955–58"6x30 minThe progress of Vivian Fuchs and his Commonwealth expedition's overland crossing of Antarctica.Presenter and producerNo
1955"BBC Panorama: Programme 12"-Guest IntervieweeNo
1956"The Berbers of the Atlas Mountains"-ProducerNo
1957"Bororo: The Unknown Nomads"-PresenterNo
1957"The Savage Image"-Omnibus BBC series. PresenterNo
1957"Mainly for Women"-BBC series. ProducerNo
1958"The Volcanos of Sahara"-The Tibesti mountains of northern Chad.ProducerNo
1959"Sails off Singapore"-NarratorNo
1959"Science is News"- NarratorNo

1960s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1961AdventureOver 150 episodesAttenborough is credited as narrator or producer of following episodes: "The Shrines of China"; "Crusaders Path"; "The Land of the Queen of Sheba"; "Voodo Island"; "Dyak"; "Turkoman"; "The Tombs of Petra"; "Lhasa", "Forbidden City"; "The Peaks of Peru"; "Dalai Lama"; "Magicians of the Black Hills"; "Sixty-five Survivors"; "North through Afghanistan"; "The Wandering Herdsmen of the Sahara"; "Wings in the Malayan Forest"; "The Hidden Sanctuaries of Prester John"; "The Tunnel of Samos"; "The Lost Men of Malaya"; "The Unknown Mountains of Nepal"; "Search for the Hobolos"; "The Caviar Fishermen of the Caspian"; "Ballon from Lake Manyara"; "Voyage Under the Earth"; "Ballon from Zanzibar"; "Trail to Dawson City"; "The Cave of the Assassins"; "Ballon to Serengeti"; "The Dragon Story"; "The Cocaine-Eaters of Colombia"; "Bushmen of the Kalahari"; "The Men without a Bow"; "Kon-Tiki"; "Snakes Alive"; "The Riddle of Easter Island".Narrator and producerNo
1962"Video Guide To British Garden Birds"-Species of birds found in British town and country gardens.PresenterNo
1963"Lets Imagine – The Perfect Horse"-Various breeds of horses.NarratorNo
1964"Discovery of the Penicillin"1x45 minThe discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming.NarratorNo
1964"Indoors and Out: Man and the Land"8x20 minSeries of short documentaries in which Attenborough visits London, the Scotland Highlands, Fair Isle, New Forest and other places in the UK. Episode list: "Mountains and Moorland"; "Island Home"; "Concrete Desert"; "The Fens"; "The Highway"; "Granite Cliffs"; "Green Forests"; "The Open Fields". BBC series.NarratorNo
1965Two Quest - "Attenborough Discovers Manchester"1x6 minShort parody on Attenborough work on various documentaries based on exploring Manchester.NarratorNo
1966"Faraway Places – The Quests of David Attenborough"-Twelve short documentaries based on material filmed during the Zoo Quest expeditions.NarratorNo

1970's

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1972"Around the World in 80 Minutes – A Guided Tour of our Spectacular Planet"- Narrator and presenterNo
1972Late Night Line Up1x8 minThe last episode of the show, featuring an interview with Attenborough.Guest IntervieweeNo
1974"Spectacular Britain"-BBC series. NarratorNo
1975Children of The Way-Documentary on the life of the various Muslim communities in Great Britain. BBC series.NarratorNo
1976"In Search of Strange Animals"-NarratorNo
1976BBC's "The Zoo"-Documentary about the history of the London ZooNarratorNo
1978Sunday Special: The Gold of El Dorado-One episode. PresenterNo

1980s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1980"Gilbert White Lived Here"-British naturalist Gilbert White. BBC. 1 episode.PresenterNo
1980"Wild Britain"-BBC series. PresenterNo
1980"The Private Life of the Robin: Robin Scott - The BBC Remembers"-BBC series. Guest IntrevieweeNo
1981"An Everday Miracle"-NarratorNo
1982Omnibus-Attenborough interviews Lucie Rie about her studio pottery. Series 16, episode 6.PresenterNo
1982"Wildlife Jubilee"-The development of BBC's "Natural History Unit" in Bristol.IntervieweeNo
1983"Rainbow Safari"-NarratorNo
1983Natural World-BBC Two series still on air, for which Attenborough has narrated or presented in following episodes:

1983: The Kiwai, Dugong hunters of Daru

1988: Twilight of the Dreamtime

1992: Mpingo: The Tree That Makes Music

1993: Echo of the Elephants

1994: Killer Whales: Wolves of the Sea; Mysteries of the Ocean Wanderers

1996: Echo of the Elephants: The next Generation; Incredible Suckers; Lions: Pride in Peril; Attenborough In Paradise; Sperm Whales: Back from the Abyss

1997: Echo of the Elephants: Africa's Forgotten Elephants

1998: Dragons of Galapagos; South Georgia: An Island All Alone

1999: Islands of the Vampire Birds

2000: Bowerbirds the Art of Seduction

2001: The Lost Elephants of Timbuktu

2003: Highgrove: A Prince's Legacy

2004: Five Big Cats and a Camera; Shark Coast; The Amber Time Machine

2005: Echo of the Elephants – The Final Chapter

2006: Satoyama Japan's Secret Water Garden

2007: Battle to Save the Tiger; Desert Lions

2008: Badgers Secrets of the Sett; Clever Monkeys; Cuckoo; Lobo: The Wolve that Changed America; Snow Leopard, Beyond The Myth; Superfish

2009: Cassowaries; Bringing Up Baby

2010: Birds of Paradise; Echo an Unforgettable Elephant; Elsa, The Lioness That Changed The World; Panda Makers; The Himalayas

2011: Animal House; Komodo Secrets of the Dragon

2012: Madagascar, Lemurs and Spies; Jungle Gremlins of Java; The Real Jungle Book Bear; Attenboroughs Ark; Living with Baboons

2013: Giant Squid Filming the Impossible; Meerkats Secrets of an Animal Superstar; The Mating Game

2014: Attenboroughs Fabulous Frogs; The Bat Man of Mexico

2015: Africa's Fishing Leopards; Attenboroughs Big Birds; Galapagos: Islands Of Change; Mountain Lions: Big Cats in High Places

2016: Jaguars: Brazil's Super Cats; Giraffes: Africa's Gentle Giants

2017: Attenborough and the Empire of the Ants; Hotel Armadillo; Puerto Rico: Island of Enchantment

2018: Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs

Occasional narrator, writer or presenterNo
1986BBC's TV50: "Television and Natural History"-Desmond Morris gives an overview of natural history programs on BBC.Guest intervieweeNo
1986"Interest the Boy in Nature"-Guest intervieweeNo
1986"Huw Wheldon by His Friends"-BBC's omnibus. Guest intervieweeNo
1987"Glass Kingdoms at Kew"-Conservatories at Kew. BBC series.Narrator and presenterNo
1987"Politics of the Jungle"-The destruction of Borneo jungles in order to plant oil palms.NarratorNo
1988"Waorani – The Last People"-The life of the last 100 Waorani Indians in Guyana.NarratorNo
1988Brathay Trust's – "Brathay Explores"1x18 minExploration expeditions of the Brathay Trust from 1948-1988.NarratorNo
1989"The Pitt Rivers Museum is Shut"1x37 minPitt's River Museum.Guest presenterNo
1989"Nature's Champion: A Tribute to Sir Peter Scott"-Work of Peter Scott, leading British naturalist.IntervieweeNo

1990s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
1991"Lime Grove – The Television Years"-BBC's Lime Grove Studio.IntervieweeNo
1993"Wildlife 100"-100th episode of Wildlife on One. Attenborough selected his favorite episodes from past series.NarratorNo
1993"Flying with Dinosaurs"-Attenborough examines living reptiles, bats, and birds to discover answers about flight. BBC series.NarratorNo
1993Joan Bakewell's – "Memento"1x25 minAttenborough presents a number of memento's that are dear to him.NarratorNo
1993"Portrait Painter to the Birds"-The work of William Cooper and his painting of Paradise Birds. BBC series.NarratorNo
1993"K: Kenneth Clark 1903 – 1983"-Documentary about the life of Kenneth Clark.Guest IntervieweeNo
1995-2007BBC Wildlife Specials22x50 minThe BBC Wildlife Specials are a series of nature documentary programmes commissioned by BBC Television. The series premiered in 1995, and 22 specials have been produced to date, with most of the more recent ones consisting of multiple episodes. The earlier programmes were produced in-house by the BBC's Natural History Unit, but the more recent Spy in the ... titles were made by the independent John Downer Productions. The first 18 specials, through 2008, were narrated by David Attenborough.

List of specials narrated by Attenborough: Great White Shark: The True Story of Jaws; Polar Bear: The Arctic Warrior; Crocodile: The Smiling Predator; Leopard: The Agent of Darkness; Eagle: The Master of the Skies;Humpback Whale: The Giant of the Oceans; Wolf: The Legendary Outlaw; Tiger: The Elusive Princess; Lions: Spy in the Den; Grizzly: Face to Face;Gorillas: On the Trail of King Kong; Serpent: Through the Eyes of the Snake; Killer Whale; Elephants: Spy in the Herd; Smart Sharks: Swimming With Roboshark; Bears: Spy in the Woods; Trek: Spy on the Wildebeest;Tiger: Spy in the Jungle.

NarratorYes
1995"Heroes of Comedy"-Episode: "Joyce Grenfell". BBC series.IntervieweeNo
1996QED "The Secret Life of Seahorses"1x45 minBreeding seahorses. NarratorNo
1996"Reputations"1x55 minThe life of Joy Adamson is re-examined. Attenborough is interviewed in episode: "Born Wild".IntervieweeNo
1996"Auntie's All-Time Greats"-BBC series. IntervieweeNo
1997"Auntie – the Inside Story of the BBC"-Three part documentary series on the development of BBC. Guest intervieweeNo
1999Animal People – Octopus Hunter-NarratorNo
1999Kingdoms of Survival-ITV series. Episode: "Tigers Next Door". NarratorNo

2000's

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
2000Wilderness Men3x45 minAlexander von Humboldt, Lewis and Clark, and Ernest Shackleton. BBC series.IntervieweeNo
2000My Generation3x45 minA three part series in which Attenborough participates in episode "Into the Light".Guest IntervieweeNo
2001"Secrets of the Screen"1x30 minConservation of 18th century Japanese folding screen that was painted by Utagawa Toyoharu.Guest intervieweeNo
2001NOVA's "Flying Casanovas"1x53 minThe courtship of various bird species.NarratorNo
2001"A Window on the World"-BBC series. Guest intervieweeNo
2001"The Human Face"4x60 minEpisodes: "Face to Face"; "Here's Looking at You"; "Beauty"; "Fame". BBC series.Guest intervieweeNo
2001"The Ultimate Wild Paradises – The Top Ten Destinations"-BBC series. Guest intervieweeNo
2002BBC's Timeshift – "Attenborough the Controller"1x45 minThe work of Attenborough as BBC Two Controller.Archive footage and intervieweeNo
2002Attenborough in Conversation with Mark Lawson1x30 minGuest IntervieweeNo
2002Reading the Decades-BBC documentary series on best selling books through decades. Attenborough in 1 episode.Guest IntervieweeNo
2003"Great Wildlife Moments"-Archive footageYes
2003Greenpeace Film's "The Ancient Forests"1x3 min NarratorNo
2003Hands on History: Conserving the Dark Age Legacy of Sutton Hoo-Sutton Hoo archaeological site. NarratorNo
2003Rainforest Information Center, "On The Brink"1x34 minPresenter & narratorNo
2003"The Many Lives of Richard Attenborough"-Richard Attenborough's work on various films and the Oscar winning "Gandhi".IntervieweeNo
2004BBC's "William Hodges:The Art of Exploration"1x35 minWilliam Hodges who accompanied Captain Cook on his voyages in the Pacific.PresenterYes
2004"Whats the Point of the BBC" - Panorama-Guest IntervieweeNo
2004"The Truth about the 60's TV"-BBC series. Guest IntervieweeNo
2005"Selfish Green"1x60 minAttenborough participates in a discussion of environmental issues.IntervieweeNo
2005"The Wild Life of Gerald Durrell"1x60 minBBC series IntervieweeNo
2005"Sport in the Sixties: TV Revolution"-BBC series. IntervieweeNo
2005How Art Made the World5x60 minA BBC documentary series looking at the influence of art on our society.Guest presenterNo
2005BBC's Timeshift - The Lost Road - Overland to Singapore1x40 minThe travels of six Oxbridge undergraduates from London to Singapore.Guest intervieweeNo
2005BBC's The 50 Great Documentaries-Guest presenterNo
2006BBC's "Masterpieces of the British Museum"6x30 minSir David Attenborough contributes in "The Durer Rhinoceros" and "Head of an Ife King from Nigeria". Guest intervieweeYes
2006BBC's Nation on Film series- Kearton's Wildlife-Documentary on the life of British naturalist Cherry KeartonIntervieweeYes
2006BBC's Gilbert White- The Nature Man60 minDocumentary on the life and work of 18 century English naturalist Gilbert White.Guest presenterYes
2006BBC's "Suez a very British Crisis"3x58 minSir David Attenborough describes his contacts with Anthony Eden during Suez Canal crisis. He contributes in episodes "Betreyal" and "War"Guest intervieweeYes
2006BBC's "Folk Britannia"3x58 minSir David Attenborough is interviewed in the first episode, "Ballads & Blues".Guest intervieweeNo
2006BBC's Horizon: "War On Science"49 minArchive footageNo
2006BBC's Planet Earth: The Future3x60minBBC documentary series that is companion to the "Plant Earth" series. Episodes are: "Saving Species"; Into the Wilderness", "Living Together". Sir David Attenbourough is interviewed in all three episodesIntervieweeYes
2007BBC's Sharing Planet EarthUnknownPresenterNo
2007100 Years of Wildlife Films120 minBill Oddie highlights the passionate, eccentric and pioneering individuals who have often risked life and limb to break new boundaries in wildlife films. He charts the extraordinary changes in technology that have driven the industry forward, and reveals how the last hundred years of wildlife films has as much to do with our social attitudes as it has to do with the animals themselvesGuest presenterNo
2007BBC's "Peter Scott: a Passion for Nature"UnknownA documentary on the life and work of naturalist Peter ScottNarrator and presenterYes
2007BBC's "Watching Desmond Morris"60 minDocumentary about zoologist/anthropologist Desmond Morris. With contributions from Sir David AttenboroughNarrator and Guest intervieweeNo
2007BBC's "Silbury:The Heart of the Hill"60 minDocumentary about the archaeological excavations of the Silbury Hill MoundGuest intervieweeNo
2007BBC's "Favourite Attenborough Moments"67 min Guest intervieweeNo
2007BBC's "Demob Happy: How TV Conquered Britain "67 minDocumentary about the development of broadcasting in Great Britain after the WWII. Guest intervieweeNo
2008BBC's "Fossil Detectives"8x29 minEpisode 1 – "Central England"; Episode 2 – "London"Guest IntervieweeNo
2008NOVA's "Lord of the Ants"53 minDocumentary on the work of naturalist E.O. WilsonGuest IntervieweeNo
2008BBC2 – "The Great British Parakeet Invasion"9 minA short BBC documentary about the introduced parakeet population in southeastern EnglandGuest intervieweeNo
2008BBC's "Art of Arts TV"3x60 minGuest IntervieweeNo
2009BBC Horizon, "How Many People Can live on Planet Earth"59 minPresenterNo
2009Carnyx Wild, "The Great Bustard"8 minShort documentary about the reintroduction of the Great Bustard into Great Britain.NarratorNo
2009"The Funny Side of Animals"unknownGuest IntervieweeNo
2009"Personal Histories in Archaeological Theory & Methods"10 min2009 Panel – "Archaeology and TV".Co-presenterNo
2009BBC's Timeshift – "Archaeology: Digging the Past 59minGuest IntervieweeNo
2009BBC's "The Story of the Open University"49minGuest IntervieweeNo

2010s

Year TitleDuration SubjectCredit(s) DVD Release
2010BBC's Horizon "Death of Oceans"59 minPresenterNo
2010Lophelia's "Cold Water Corals"5 minShort documentary about cold water corals.NarratorNo
2010"The Symphony of Science"20x4 min ParticipantNo
2010BBC's "Genius of Britain"5x60 minDocumentary series on famous British scientists. Episodes: "The First Five"; "A Roomful of Brilliant Minds"; "The Lights Come On";"Out of the Darkness" and "Asking Big Questions". Sir David Attenborough contributed pieces on Christopher Wren and Joseph Banks in Episodes 1 and 2 and conclusions in Episode 5.Guest presenterYes
2010BBC's "Attenborough's Journey"60 minSir David Attenborough presents anecdotes from his work on various documentaries.PresenterYes
2010BBC's "Delia through the Decades"UnknownDocumentary series on cooking.IntervieweeYes
2010BBC's "The Born Free Legacy"60 minDocumentary marking the 50th anniversary of Joy Adamson's book "Born Free".Guest IntervieweeNo
2010BBC's "Mad and Bad:60 Years of Science on TV"90minDocumentary that reviews the various science programs on TV in the UK.Guest IntervieweeNo
2010BBC's Museum of Life5x60 minSir David Attenborough contributes in episodes "A Museum in a Modern World" and "A collection for the Future".Guest intervieweeNo
2010BBC's Timeshift – "When Britain Went Wild"1x59minTimeshift episode on how wildlife gained importance with British public during the 1960s.Guest intervieweeNo
2010BBC's "Birds Britannia"4x60minDocumentary series on wild birds in Great Britain. Sir David Attenborough contributes in all 4 episodesIntervieweeNo
2010BBC's "Jane Goodall: Beauty and the Beast"60 minDocumentary on the work of Jane Goodall with chimps at Gombe. Guest intervieweeNo
2010Beyond the Brink20 minA short documentary made by Ross Harrison based on his investigations on climate change.Guest intervieweeYes
2010BBC's Culture Show Special – "A History of the World"unknownDocumentary that presents the story of human development through a list of 100 objects held at the British Museum. Sir David Attenborough presents part about the use of a stone age axePresenterYes
2011PBS Nature, "Elsa's Legacy – The Born Free Story"53 minDocumentary about the life of lioness Elsa and the impact of her story on wildlife conservationGuest intervieweeNo
2011BBC's "Great Thinkers: In Their Own Words"3x59 minSir David Attenborough contributes in the episodes "The Culture Wars" and "Human All Too Human".Guest comentatorNo
2011"Ocean Drifters – A Secret World beneath the Waves"16.30 minA short documentary about plankton written, produced and directed by Dr Richard Kirby from Plymouth University.NarratorNo
2011BBC's "Brave New World"5x49 minEpisodes: Machines; Health; Technology; Environment; Biology. Episode "Environment": At Longleat Sir David Attenborough helps collect the DNA of an elephant for the Frozen Ark – a project to save all the world's species from extinction. Sir David Attenborough also introduces the work of the Millennium Seed Bank. Guest interviewee and presenterNo
2011BBC's "Ceramics: A Fragile History"3X60 minSir David Attenborough is in the episodes "The Art of the Potter" and "The Story of Clay".Guest intervieweeNo
2011Animal Planet's "A City of Wild Cats"11 minShort documentary on the cats living on Rome streets.NarratorNo
2011BBC's "The Secrets of Scott's Hut"90 minDocumentary on the Antarctic expedition of Robert Falcon ScottGuest intervieweeNo
2011Atlantic Productions "The Bachelor King"75 minA 3D documentary about King Penguins.Writer and presenterNo
2011"Break the Science Barrier"UnknownA documentary presented by Richard Dawkins about the value of scientific endeavour.Guest IntervieweeYes
2012BBC's "The Grammar School: a Secret History"90 minThree part documentary series about the work of Grammar Schools in the 1950s and 1960sGuest intervieweeNo
2012BBC's Culture Show – John CraxtonunknownSir David Attenborough comments the work of British painter John CraxtonGuest intervieweeNo
2012BBC's "Tales of Television Centre"90 minDocumentary about the history of the BBC's Television Centre building.Guest intervieweeNo
2013When Björk Met Attenborough1x30minCo-presenterYes
2013BBC's "Goodbye Television Centre"130 minA documentary about the famous BBC production facility, the "Television Centre"GuestNo
2013BBC's "The Early Years"29 min Guest intervieweeNo
2013BBC's "Bill Bailey's Jungle Hero"2x60minBill Bailey introduces us to naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, contemporary of Charles Darwin and independent discoverer of the mechanics of natural selection and biological evolution. Sir David Attenborough appears in episodes: "In Borneo" and "In the Spice Islands".Guest IntervieweeNo
2013"The Forgotten Story of Alfred Russel Wallace"5 minOn the 100th anniversary of Wallace's death, Sir David Attenborough tells the story of this extraordinary explorer.Writer & narratorNo
2013BBC's "Edwardian Insects on Film"60minDocumentary about British naturalist Percy Smith, who in 1908 filmed "The Acrobactic Fly".Guest IntervieweeNo
2014The Folio Society's "For the Love of Books"15minSir David Attenborough talks about his love of books.PresenterNo
2014Craghoppers "Hope"15 minDocumentary about the work of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International to protect mountain gorillasNarratorNo
2014BBC's "All About Two"UnknownDocumentary about the development of BBC2Guest IntervieweeNo
2014BBC's "Richard Attenborough: A Life"60 minDocumentary about the life and work of Sir Richard AttenboroughGuest IntervieweeNo
2014Sir Joseph Banks Society's "Sir Joseph Banks – Endeavour"12minSir David Attenborough talks about the life and work of Joseph Banks and his travels with Captain Cook.PresenterNo
2014BBC's "50 Golden Years of Sports on BBC Two"UnknownDocumentary in which Sue Barker presents 50 years of sport coverage on BBC Two. Guest IntervieweeNo
2014NHK's"Legends of the Deep:Deep Sea Sharks"50 minDocumentary about Japanese scientists studying deep sea sharks of the coast of JapanNarratorNo
2014A Culture Show Special "Sir Kenneth Clark: Portrait of a Civilised Man"UnknownThis Culture Show looks at the life of Sir Kenneth Clark, one of the most influential persons in 20th century British artGuest IntervieweeNo
2014University of Illinois film "Windows on a Lost World"6.30 minDocumentary about a major collection of amber from the Dominican Republic located at the University of Illinois State University. A grasshopper fossil found in this amber was named after Sir David AttenboroughNarratorNo
2014Lincoln School of Media "Sir Joseph Banks – Endeavour"1x12minShort documentary about Sir Joseph Banks.Guest PresenterYes
2014BBC's "Pop goes BBC Two"90 minDocumentary that reviews 50 years of popular music on BBC Two. Sir David Attenborough introduces the film.NarratorYes
2015Society of Biology "Biology – Changing the World"14 minSir David Attenborough is interviewed for Biology: Changing the World and discusses various topics, such as, what sparked his interest in the natural world, to the role biologists play in today's society.Guest IntervieweeNo
2015BBC's "When President Barack Obama met Sir David Attenborough"35 minDocumentary on the meeting that took place between President Obama and Sir David AttenboroughGuest IntervieweeNo
2015RTS Huw Wheldon Memorial Lecture: Public Service Broadcasting – A House of Cards?45 minBaron Michael Dobbs examines UK's public service broadcasting and asks will public service broadcasters will continue to play an important role in culture and society in the future.Guest IntervieweeNo
2015Eden TV's "Wild Canada"4x42 minDocumentary series on the wildlife of Canada. Episodes: "The Wild West"; "Ice Edge"; "The Heartland"; "The Eternal Frontier" NarratorNo
2015BBC's "VE Day: Remembering Victory"100 minDocumentary commemorating the 70'th anniversary of VE day with contribution from leading British personalities, including Sir David AttenboroughGuest IntervieweeNo
2015WLT's "Orchids of Baños"5 minDocumentary in which Sir David Attenborough introduces the work of World Land Trust (WLT) and its partner in Ecuador, the Fundacion Ecominga, to protect the micro orchids of Ecuador. These are some of the tiniest plant species on Earth, which are found high in the Andean cloud forests of central Ecuador.On-screen participantNo
2016"A Plastic Ocean"104 minDocumentary on the disastrous effects of pollution by plastic waste on World oceans.Guest IntervieweeNo
2016BBC's "Cue the Queen:Celebrating the Christmas Speech"58 minDocumentary on the Royal Christmas Broadcasts.Guest IntervieweeNo
2016Sky's "Attenborough at 90: Behind the Lens"45 minDocumentary for the occasion of Sir David Attenborough's 90th birthday. Shot over the period of 7 years, shows what it is like to be on the road with Sir David Attenborough during filming.Guest IntervieweeNo
2016ECO2's "Grindahvalur"29 minDocumentary on the changing relation of Faroe islanders towards whaling of the "Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas)" or Grindahvalur. Sir David Attenborough holds introduction remark.On-screen participantNo
2016NHK's "Deep Ocean" series56*2 minEpisodes: "The Lost World of the Pacific" and "Lights in the Abyss"NarratorNo
2016UNEnvironment.org's "The Hole"5 minShort documentary on the Montreal Protocol. NarratorNo
2016"The Hole: How Ronnie and Maggie Saved the World"7 minShort documentary on how Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher had key roles in environmental protection.NarratorNo
2016BBC's "Attenborough at 90"58 min Guest IntervieweeYes
2016BBC's "Zoo Quest in Colour"89 minDocumentary based on original Zoo Quest films in color that were re-discovered in BBC archive in 2016Guest IntervieweeYes
2017"Richmond Park – National Nature Reserve"21 minDocumentary on London's Richmond Park. PresenterYes
2017"In Search of Arcadia"59 minGuest IntervieweeYes
2017"South Africa – Eastern Great Escarpment"21 minDocumentary on the protection of the Eastern Great Escarpment. NarratorYes
2017BBC Horizon's "Dippy and the Whale"59 minDocumentary on the replacement of Dippy the Dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum. NarratorYes
2017ABC's "Into Hot Water"25 minDocumentary on the effect of global warming on the Great Barrier Reef. Guest IntervieweeNo

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References

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