David Attenborough started out in the early days of television broadcasting in 1952. Initially he became involved in the production of natural history programs and went on to present a program called Zoo Quest in 1954 and also produced general documentaries for the BBC.

A year after the launch of a new TV channel, BBC 2, Attenborough was invited to become controller and take an active part in development of the channel. He accepted with a provision that he could still create programs. He commissioned a wide variety of programs and set a format that included a mix of entertainment, music, sport, comedy and factual programs. He also commissioned some of the first protracted documentary projects including Civilisation (with art historian Kenneth Clarke) and The Ascent of Man (with mathematician and historian Jacob Bronowski), both of which showcased the new ultra high frequency (UHF) colour service.

Attenborough's success at BBC 2 led to a promotion, and he became director of programs for both BBC channels in 1969 and was considered for the position of Director-General in 1972. By now, administration rather than film-making took his time and he made a choice. He resigned his position and became a freelance broadcaster. His first project saw a change in production approach with more emphasis on narration and observation on location, replacing animal shows from a studio or zoo environment.

Attenborough's next project was a landmark production both for him, and the format of natural history documentaries. Production of the Life series began in 1976. It was a large and expensive project to create and involved production by the BBC Natural History Unit, Warner Bros., and Reiner Moritz Productions. The very latest filming techniques were used, and access to subjects that were rare, or had not been not filmed before were at the heart of the programs. The results were first broadcast in 1979 as a thirteen part series under the title Life on Earth. The series was a highly acclaimed success and was watched by a worldwide audience of around 500 million viewers.

Attenborough maintained a presence in the production by narrating and the use of filmed link segments that were presented from different locations around the world. This aspect stopped the format becoming wildlife films with detached narration - instead, David Attenborough himself would pop-up and connect the narrator to a person who was involved and knowledgeable about the subjects, and actually in the environments they were talking about.

Life on Earth set the standard and the Life series continued with The Living Planet in 1984, concluding with The Trials of Life in 1990. From there subjects became focussed on particular locations, or the lives of specific birds, mammals, insects, fish, and plants. Many documentaries followed and development kept in-step with the advancement of film-making techniques and involved input from top naturalists and scientists in the technical and natural history fields. David Attenborough has a personal fondness for birds of paradise and finally made a documentary, Attenborough's Paradise Birds (2015), featuring new footage of the unique displays and colours made possible by advancement in film sensitivity and filming techniques.

From the outset, David Attenborough included references to climate and the preservation of the natural world, and questioned the sustainability of human existence. Two documentaries about global warming were produced in 2006. Are We Changing Planet Earth? and Can We Save Planet Earth? contributed to a season of programs in conjunction with the Discovery Channel and the Open University under the title Climate Chaos.

In the eyes of the public, David Attenborough has become a highly respected reference point for the natural world, including the crisis looming for humanity and natural resources. He also has first-hand knowledge of the rapid and progressive destruction that has occurred during his lifetime. His response is a warning that joins the voices of many other scientists and environmentalists that things are already critical, or will be for the next generation.

Over the years his extensive work has been recognised with many awards and honours. He became Sir David Attenborough in 1991 and has had plant and animal species named after him. He continues to narrate and makes a huge contribution to natural history by writing and supporting a wide range of projects.

There is no social media or official website, but there are many projects and resources available online. Most of his projects are supported with books or written contributions, and his own autobiography Life on Air was published in 2002. Some of his writing is available as audio books.

Sir David Attenborough is an example of someone who is led by curiosity and allows himself to become absorbed by his personal passions. Presenting and writing merely became a way to share his enthusiasm and knowledge with the world.

By Matt Sheen August MMXX - See video playlist for references

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