Sir David Attenborough at 100: 15 surprising facts you probably never knew — including the animal he fears most
These surprising facts reveal a side to the beloved broadcaster many have never seen
The term 'national treasure' is often bandied around. But if there's one person that everyone can agree is worthy of the accolade, it's Sir David Attenborough.
Naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough first hit television screens in 1954 as presenter of Zoo Quest, and his career has spanned eight decades – encompassing awards, environmental advocacy and travels around the world for his nature documentary series.
In honour of his 100th birthday on 8 May, we're sharing fifteen fascinating facts that you might not have known about David Attenborough – from royal encounters to the one animal he's afraid of.
Television wasn't always the plan
When David Attenborough (pictured with his young family in 1955) joined the BBC in 1952 as a trainee, he'd only ever watched one television programme! Before that he studied at Cambridge University, considered a career in academia and worked at an educational publishing house.
David Attenborough grew up in a university
David was born on 8 May 1926. His father was the principal of University College, Leicester, so David and his siblings were brought up on the university campus. It's where he discovered a love of fossils, and even collected newts aged 11 to supply the zoology department.
He brought us colour TV
David Attenborough rose up the ranks to become controller of BBC Two: here he is pictured at one of its board meetings in 1965. In this role, he oversaw the first-ever colour television broadcast in Europe in 1965.
Things nearly went wrong in Rwanda
David Attenborough described his close encounter with mountain gorillas in Rwanda in 1978 (pictured) as "one of the most privileged moments of my life" that he still dreams about. But shortly after filming, the team was stopped at gunpoint and held overnight by Rwandan soldiers. Luckily, the team and the film footage escaped unharmed.
His brother is Father Christmas
Well, sort of... David's older brother Richard Attenborough was a celebrated actor who starred in films such as Jurassic Park, The Great Escape and as Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street. The pair are pictured here in Richard's home in Richmond. He died in 2014 aged 90.
David Attenborough has defied gravity
In 1984, he presented in zero gravity for Living Planet. This picture shows him demonstrating water droplets floating, from inside a zero-gravity aircraft.
And gone deep under water
David Attenborough has also headed to the ocean's greatest depths. He is pictured here diving off Heron Island, in Australia, and in 2015 he dived 1,000ft underwater in a submersible off the Australian coast to film previously unseen parts of the Great Barrier Reef. This expedition broke the record for the deepest ever dive on the reef.
David Attenborough has been knighted twice
He was first knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1985, and received a second, even higher honour in 2022 (pictured) from Prince William for services to broadcasting and environmental conservation.
He loves London
David Attenborough may have travelled to almost every corner of the globe, but nothing beats his hometown of London. He lives in Richmond and, in a 2013 interview, described it as "his favourite place" on earth, "by a long way".
He said he enjoys the climate, local wildlife, and the museums and concerts London has to offer.
Over 50 plants and animals are named after him
More than 50 species have been named after David Attenborough, from lizards to beetles, frogs to weevils, flowers and even a Plesiosaur dinosaur, the Attenborosaurus – which you can spot in London's Natural History Museum.
But is less fond of rats
Despite loving creatures great and small (he is pictured here with a harvest mouse), David Attenborough is reportedly afraid of rats.
In 2013, he told journalists, "I really, really hate rats. I’ve handled deadly spiders, snakes and scorpions without batting an eyelid, but if I see a rat, I’ll be the first to run. I don’t mean that I mildly dislike them as I dislike, let us say, maggots. I mean that if a rat appears in a room, I have to work hard to prevent myself from jumping on the nearest table!"
And a boat
A £200m polar research ship was named 'RSS Sir David Attenborough' in 2016, after a close call with the name 'Boaty McBoatface' following a now-infamous public poll.
He was in the navy
This wasn't his first brush with ships, though. David Attenborough served in the Royal Navy for two years from 1947 to 1949, when he was called for national service after graduating from Cambridge University. He was stationed in North Wales and the Firth of Forth in Scotland.
David Attenborough has swept the board
He is the only person to have won BAFTAs for programmes in four different formats: black and white, colour, HD and 3D. David Attenborough also became the oldest person to win a Daytime Emmy, aged 99, in October 2025 for The Secret Lives of Orangutans – surpassing the previous record set by Dick Van Dyke, who won in 2024, aged 98.
The late queen was a fan
David Attenborough enjoyed a longstanding friendship with the late Queen Elizabeth II. They were born just weeks apart, and worked together when David produced many of her Christmas messages in the 1980s and 1990s.
Her late majesty knighted him in 1985, and you can watch them together in the 2018 documentary The Queen's Green Planet. When the late queen died in 2022, David said of her: "She had an extraordinary ability to put you at your ease."
Cara is Commissioning Editor at Country Living, covering everything from style and interiors to sustainability, artisans and the great outdoors. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City University and a BA in Music from the University of Oxford. Follow Cara on Instagram @caralaskaris or Linkedin.
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