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\n\tThe world is celebrating David Attenborough\u2019s 100th birthday. <\/p>\n
\n\tHuge names as wide ranging as King Charles III, Leonardo DiCaprio, Camila Cabello and Paddington Bear have just delivered virtual birthday messages to Attenborough in a celebration of his life that took place at London\u2019s Royal Albert Hall and aired on the BBC. Others to have sent their love included Nile Rodgers, Judi Dench, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and UN Secretary General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres. <\/p>\n
\n\tThe scale of these rockstar tributes is testament to Attenborough\u2019s seismic impact. The British centenarian is without a doubt the most famous naturalist of all time and is showing no signs of slowing, with the BBC just revealing that he will narrate the upcoming Blue Planet III<\/em> landmark.<\/p>\n \n\tAll week, the British press has been awash with tributes to Attenborough, who has been making and presenting nature documentaries for decades. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHis extraordinary talent for storytelling has shaped the way generations of audiences understand and connect with the natural world, and his voice remains synonymous with the very best of the BBC\u2019s natural history output,\u201d said Jack Bootle, Attenborough\u2019s commissioner at the national broadcaster.<\/p>\n \n\tAttenborough is one of the UK\u2019s greatest cultural exports and the nation has delighted in celebrating him. Across his career, which kicked off with a stint running BBC Two, he has hosted documentary powerhouses that have changed the shape of wildlife TV including Planet Earth, Life on Earth, Zoo Quest <\/em>and Our Planet<\/em>, winning numerous gongs along the way. <\/em>He has mainly worked for the BBC but in recent years also turned to streamers like Netflix. <\/p>\n \n\tAttenborough\u2019s oeuvre has become ever more crucial as global warming has come to the fore of worldwide conversation. He is now seen as a key asset in the battle against climate change. \u201cHe has taught me so much about the craft of storytelling which resonates with millions of people,\u201d Tom Macdonald, Nat Geo\u2019s EVP of Content, told Deadline. \u201cAs he turns 100, we celebrate a legacy that has not just profoundly shaped documentary making for the better, but the natural world around us.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAttenborough takeover day\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tToday in London has been \u201cAttenborough takeover day,\u201d with a two-minute special birthday message delivered at the Piccadilly lights honoring his contribution.<\/p>\n \n\tOver the past 90 minutes, the BBC has been hosting the live celebration show titled David Attenborough\u2019s 100 Years on Planet Earth<\/em>, which included a teaser for Blue Planet III<\/em>. <\/p>\n \n\tIt just concluded with an emotional reading by the man himself of \u201cWhat a Wonderful World\u201d accompanied by glorious shots from the natural world.<\/p>\n \n\tHosted by Kirsty Young, the night mixed birthday messages with celebrations of Attenborough\u2019s biggest shows and greatest moments. The Life on Earth <\/em>section came with a message from Felix Ndagijimana\u00a0at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Karisoke research center in Rwanda, who updated on how the famous gorillas are doing since Attenborough visited 50 years ago. The evening moved on to celebrate\u00a0Planet Earth<\/em> with a performance from Icelandic band\u00a0Sigur R\u00f3s, the creators of the iconic soundtrack. Blue Planet<\/em>\u00a0then took the focus, with broadcasters\u00a0Steve Backshall\u00a0and\u00a0Liz Bonnin discussing the importance of\u00a0the franchise on plastics and environmental awareness of our oceans.<\/p>\n \n\tThe show ended on a happy note as the crowd and those watching at home were given the message that Attenborough ain\u2019t going anywhere. <\/p>\n \n\tBlue Planet III<\/em>, which airs later this year, will \u201cbuild on the groundbreaking legacy of the previous two series, redefining the realm of possibility in underwater wildlife film-making,\u201d the BBC said. As he enters his eleventh decade, Attenborough will be as central to the project as ever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n