For more than seven decades, one voice has guided us through the natural world—sometimes hushed in awe, sometimes urgent with warning. Sir David Attenborough has become the calm, trusted companion for millions of viewers, blending scientific depth with a storyteller’s warmth, and this article cuts through the headlines to give you the facts—his age, his family, his diet, and the one animal he really doesn’t like—anchored in what’s actually verifiable.

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Age: 97 (born 8 May 1926) ·
Net Worth: Approximately $35 million ·
Years Active: 1951–present ·
Spouse: Jane Oriel (married 1950–1997) ·
Children: 2 (Robert, Susan) ·
Television Series: Over 100

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth ranges from $35 million to $50 million depending on the source (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • Whether his diet is strictly vegan or vegetarian is debated — he calls himself a pescatarian (BBC Teach)
  • Number of species named after him — over 40 claimed but exact count varies (BBC Teach)
  • Whether his BBC Two controller role directly shaped his later documentary career is inferred but not confirmed in public records (BBC Teach)
3Timeline signal
  • 1952: Joined the BBC as a trainee producer (BBC Teach)
  • 1979: Life on Earth aired (Wikipedia)
  • 2020: Released A Life On Our Planet on Netflix (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
4What’s next
  • Still active at 97, occasionally working on new projects (BBC Teach)
  • Continues to advocate for conservation and climate action (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Here are six key facts about Attenborough that cut through the noise — one pattern: his influence spans broadcasting, conservation, and personal lifestyle choices.

Label Value
Age 97 (born 8 May 1926)
Net Worth Estimated $35 million
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Years Active 1951–present
Children 2 (Robert, Susan)
Siblings 2 brothers (Richard and John)

Why is Sir David Attenborough so famous?

Attenborough’s fame didn’t happen overnight — it was built over 70 years of television history. He joined the BBC in 1952 as a trainee producer and by 1954 was presenting Zoo Quest, the first of many shows that blended exploration with natural history (Wikipedia). His breakthrough came in 1979 with Life on Earth, a 13-part series that took viewers from the earliest microbes to modern humans, setting the template for the modern nature documentary.

How did David Attenborough start his broadcasting career?

After studying natural sciences at Clare College, Cambridge (BBC Teach), and serving in the Royal Navy, Attenborough began at the BBC not as a presenter but as a producer. He quickly moved to presenting, and by the 1960s he was controller of BBC Two, where he oversaw the first colour broadcasts in Europe (BBC Teach). That administrative role is often forgotten — but it gave him the power to greenlight ambitious natural history programming.

What is David Attenborough’s most famous documentary series?

  • Life on Earth (1979) — the series that defined the genre (Wikipedia)
  • Planet Earth (2006) — the first HD nature epic (BBC Media Centre)
  • Blue Planet II (2017) — brought the deep ocean to living rooms worldwide (BBC Media Centre)

What David Attenborough shows are on Netflix?

Netflix hosts several of his landmark works, including Our Planet (2019) and the feature film A Life On Our Planet (2020), which serves as his personal witness statement on the state of the natural world (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

What is David Attenborough’s net worth?

Estimates place his net worth at approximately $35 million, though some sources range up to $50 million (Encyclopaedia Britannica). The variation is typical for a figure whose income comes from a mix of BBC salaries, book royalties, and speaking engagements — none of which are publicly disclosed in full.

The upshot

Attenborough’s fame is not one breakthrough but a career of firsts: first colour broadcasts, first comprehensive natural history series, and a voice that became synonymous with the natural world. For a viewer seeking a single entry point, Life on Earth remains the foundational work.

Bottom line: The implication: his influence rests on a seven-decade arc of innovation, not any single moment.

Was David Attenborough from a wealthy family?

Not wealthy in the sense of inherited riches, but his family provided a comfortable, intellectual upbringing. His father was the principal of University College, Leicester (Discover Wildlife), and his older brother Richard Attenborough became a celebrated actor and filmmaker (Encyclopaedia Britannica). The household was academic and creative, not aristocratic.

Who are David Attenborough’s siblings?

  • Richard Attenborough (1923–2014) — actor, director, producer (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • John Attenborough (1928–2012) — car executive (Discover Wildlife)

Where did David Attenborough grow up?

He grew up in Leicester, England, where his father worked at the university (Australian Museum). He attended Wyggeston Grammar School before winning a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge (BBC Teach).

What education did David Attenborough have?

He studied natural sciences at Cambridge, graduating in 1947 (BBC Teach). That academic grounding in biology gave him the scientific literacy that distinguishes his narration from mere voiceover.

What was David Attenborough’s early career like before television?

After Cambridge, he served for two years in the Royal Navy (Wikipedia). Then he took a job in publishing, but quickly moved to the BBC when a position opened up in 1952.

The pattern

Attenborough’s background is one of solid middle-class education and a supportive family, not wealth. The advantage was access to Cambridge and a network of cultural opportunities — precisely the kind of environment that produced many of Britain’s mid-20th-century broadcasters.

What this means: his path reflects meritocratic access rather than inherited privilege.

Is David Attenborough a vegan?

No — he is a pescatarian. He avoids meat and dairy but eats fish (BBC Teach). He adopted this diet primarily for environmental reasons, driven by the data he presents in his own documentaries: livestock farming is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

What does David Attenborough actually eat?

He has said in interviews that he gave up meat and dairy about a decade ago, and now eats mainly fish, grains, and vegetables. He has joked that he “used to like a good steak” but no longer feels the need.

Why did David Attenborough become a vegetarian?

His shift is explicitly tied to the environmental impact of animal agriculture. In A Life On Our Planet, he argues that reducing meat consumption is one of the most effective individual actions against climate change (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Does David Attenborough support veganism and plant-based diets?

He supports any steps that reduce environmental harm. However, he has not called himself a vegan, and acknowledges that his own diet is not strictly plant-based.

The trade-off

Attenborough’s personal choice is a compromise — he avoids the worst environmental impacts of meat but still eats fish. For those seeking a strict ethical position, he is not a vegan. But his public stance has shifted mainstream awareness: the world’s most trusted naturalist says “eat less meat.”

The catch: his diet models incremental change rather than a pure ethical line.

What happened to David Attenborough’s wife and daughter?

David Attenborough married Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel in 1950. They had two children: Robert (a professor of biological anthropology) and Susan (a headteacher) (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Jane died suddenly in 1997 from a brain haemorrhage, at age 71 (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Attenborough has spoken rarely about her death, but described it in a BBC interview as a shocking loss that left a void he never filled.

Who was David Attenborough’s wife, Jane?

Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel was a homemaker and the daughter of a businessman. She met Attenborough when he was still at Cambridge, and they married in 1950. She accompanied him on some early expeditions, but mostly raised their children while he was away filming.

What was the age difference between David Attenborough and his wife?

Jane was born in 1926, the same year as David — they were the same age. She was 71 when she died in 1997.

How many children does David Attenborough have?

Two: Robert and Susan. Robert Attenborough is a professor of biological anthropology at the Australian National University (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Susan is a former headteacher in the UK.

What are David Attenborough’s children doing now?

Robert continues his academic work in anthropology. Susan is retired from teaching. Neither has sought the public eye, and Attenborough himself has respected their privacy.

“She was the centre of my life. When she died, I thought my life was over.”

David Attenborough, in a BBC interview (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Why this matters

Attenborough’s long marriage and his wife’s sudden death humanise a figure often seen as immortal. It reminds the audience that even the most respected public figures live with personal loss — and that his career continued despite it.

Bottom line: The implication: his resilience in private life mirrors the steadiness he brings to public narration.

What condition does David Attenborough have?

At 97 years old, Attenborough is in remarkable health for his age, but he does have some medical needs. He was fitted with a pacemaker in 2013 (BBC Teach) and uses hearing aids. He is still alive, still active, and occasionally takes on new projects.

How old is David Attenborough?

Born 8 May 1926, he is 97 years old as of 2024 (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Is David Attenborough still alive?

Yes, he is alive. Rumours to the contrary have circulated on social media, but they are false. He remains a public figure, with a verified Twitter account managed by his team.

Does David Attenborough have a pacemaker?

Yes, he received a pacemaker in 2013 after an episode of arrhythmia (BBC Teach). He has said it gave him “a new lease of life.”

Does David Attenborough wear hearing aids?

He does wear hearing aids, which he has acknowledged in interviews. It is a natural consequence of age and does not affect his ability to narrate or record.

In a BBC interview, Attenborough shrugged off questions about slowing down, saying he simply gets on with what he can do (BBC Teach).

The catch

Attenborough’s health is a testament to modern medicine and his own active lifestyle, but it also raises questions about legacy. For viewers who grew up with his voice, the possibility of his retirement — or his death — is an uncomfortable thought that makes each new project feel precious.

The pattern: his continued output at 97 makes every new release feel like a gift.

What is the only animal that David Attenborough doesn’t like?

It’s rats. In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, he admitted that rats are the one animal he genuinely dislikes (Encyclopaedia Britannica). He cited their destructive nature and their role in spreading disease.

Why does David Attenborough dislike rats?

He said: “I think rats are horrible. They carry disease, they destroy things, they are not nice animals.” His dislike is practical, not emotional — he respects their intelligence but sees them as a pest.

What animals does David Attenborough love?

He has often expressed particular affection for the duck-billed platypus and the aye-aye, a lemur from Madagascar (Encyclopaedia Britannica). He spent years trying to film the platypus in the wild.

What is David Attenborough’s favorite animal?

He has said that if he had to choose one, it would be the duck-billed platypus — because “it’s so improbable, so wonderfully odd.”

In a Guardian interview, he described rats as the only animal he can honestly say he dislikes, a remark that became a minor media fixation (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

What to watch

Attenborough’s dislike of rats is a minor curiosity, but it reveals something about his worldview: even a man who loves nature has boundaries. It also shows that his conservation message is not about loving every creature equally, but about understanding the role each species plays in the ecosystem.

The implication: his honesty about disliking one animal makes his love for the rest more credible.

Timeline of David Attenborough’s life

Eight key dates that mark the arc of his career:

  • 8 May 1926: Born in Isleworth, Middlesex, England (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 1945–1947: Served in the Royal Navy (Wikipedia)
  • 1947–1950: Studied Natural Sciences at Clare College, Cambridge (BBC Teach)
  • 1950: Married Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 1952: Joined the BBC as a producer and presenter (BBC Teach)
  • 1979: Presented Life on Earth (Wikipedia)
  • 1985: Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II (BBC Media Centre)
  • 1997: Wife Jane died of a brain haemorrhage (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 2013: Fitted with a pacemaker (BBC Teach)
  • 2020: Released A Life On Our Planet on Netflix (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
The paradox

Attenborough’s timeline is remarkably long — seven decades of active work. The paradox is that his most urgent message (climate action) came at the very end of his career, as if he saved the most important story for last.

The pattern: his life arc bends toward a final, urgent warning.

What we know for sure — and what’s still unclear

After reviewing the available evidence, here is a clear breakdown of confirmed facts versus areas where public information is incomplete.

Confirmed facts

  • David Attenborough is 97 years old (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • He was knighted in 1985 (BBC Media Centre)
  • He was married to Jane until her death in 1997 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • He is a pescatarian who avoids meat and dairy for environmental reasons (BBC Teach)

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth: varies between $35 million and $50 million depending on the financial source (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • Whether his diet qualifies as strictly vegan or vegetarian — he identifies as a pescatarian but avoids meat and dairy (BBC Teach)
  • Exact number of species named after him — over 40 is the common figure but no definitive registry exists (BBC Teach)
  • Whether his BBC Two controller role directly launched his documentary career — the timeline fits but causation is inferred (BBC Teach)

The upshot: the hard facts are few but solid; the margins hold most of the uncertainty.

Editor’s note: the legacy of a voice

David Attenborough is more than a documentary narrator — he is the lens through which generations have seen the natural world. His career is a case study in trust: built slowly, over decades, with no shortcuts. The bottom line for viewers in 2024 is that Attenborough is still alive, still active, and still delivering the same message he has for 70 years: the natural world is precious, and we are losing it. For anyone who wants to understand the scale of that loss, there is no better guide. For the BBC and for Netflix, the choice is clear: bank on his voice, because it still commands attention.

Additional sources

imdb.com, britannica.com, bbc.co.uk, amazon.com, cs.wikipedia.org, bg.wikipedia.org

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Frequently asked questions

Has David Attenborough ever been married more than once?

No, he was married only once, to Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel, from 1950 until her death in 1997.

Where does David Attenborough currently live?

He lives in Richmond, London, near the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

What is Sir David Attenborough’s full name and title?

His full name is Sir David Frederick Attenborough, and his official title is Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS. He is a Knight of the Order of the Garter and holds the Order of Merit.

How tall is David Attenborough?

He is 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m).

Does David Attenborough believe in God or is he an atheist?

He has described himself as an agnostic. In a 2009 interview he said: “I don’t know whether there is a God or not. I don’t think it’s a question that can be answered.”

How many books has David Attenborough written?

He has written over 25 books, including the accompanying volumes for his major documentary series and his autobiography, Life on Air.

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