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47 GH

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November 2008 interview He paints a picture of Britain before before Britain of picture a paints He David’s affinity for the natural world world natural the for affinity David’s GH got there I don’t know,’ he says. The The says. he know,’ don’t I there got atmosphere an in up grew David young the roaming curiosity, intellectual of fossils. for countryside Leicestershire come not and bicycle my on get would ‘I I Sometimes evening. the until back youth go and weeks two for off go would marvellous!’ was which hostelling, in television, it just came along,’ he says. ‘I ‘I says. he along,’ came just it television, in palaeontologist.’ a be to going always was was Frederick, father, His early. began Leicester College University at principal – linguist a was Mary, mother, his and herself took who girl intrepid rather a years the in University Bologna to off was ‘It vote. the had even women before an to go to girl English an for amazing she how quite – 1912 in university Italian

Though he admits he’s a technophobe, technophobe, a he’s admits he Though what for fervour obvious an from Aside Attenborough’s – a new set new a – Land On Life Attenborough’s the of series six includes that DVDs of arranged documentaries Life famous encyclopaedia. interactive an form to certain a up look to able be will Viewers footage relevant the up call and species button. a of click the at screen the to on a be will ‘It says. he exciting,’ very ‘It’s world natural the make to way great audiences.’ modern to accessible more David about thing wonderful the does, he celebrity, with obsessed age an in that, is the in interested bit least the isn’t he career a have to plan didn’t ‘I razzmatazz. series,’ he explains. ‘Only the BBC would BBC the ‘Only explains. he series,’ that – support and time that you give employment.’ of continuity David about passionate clearly is David

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SEASONS SEASONS FOR ALL ALL FOR A MAN MAN A and passion for the natural world. world. natural the for tells passion he and interview, exclusive an In Reid Jane Alison He may be 82, but Attenborough David but 82, be may He enthusiasm his of none lost has PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID ELLIS ELLIS DAVID PHOTOGRAPH: ▲ 49 GH

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November 2008 interview interview After a brief – and, he says, dull – stint stint – dull says, he and, – brief a After After leaving Cambridge he was was he Cambridge leaving After GH The Firth of Forth. Because I had a science science a had I Because Forth. of Firth The taught and instructor an became I degree, great. was It meteorology. and navigation no-one and anyone at shooting weren’t You over. was war The you. at shooting was to wanted I years, of couple a after But living.’ a earn and out go applied he books, science children’s editing Cambridge to take a degree in Natural Natural in degree a take to Cambridge atmosphere the describes He Sciences. following ‘shell-shocked’ but wonderful, as overwhelming ‘My war. of aftermath the lucky was I privilege. of one was feeling my of many – service active escape to planes fighter piloted had students fellow destroyers.’ commanded and a as Service National do to conscripted On Carry a like bit a was ‘It officer. Navy and Pembrokeshire to off went I film.

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I don’t know what I what know don’t I I’d quite like to be with Attenborough Attenborough with be to like quite I’d ❛ stopped. I if do would seed to go just would I to glory as an actor and film director, director, film and actor an as glory to College Clare to scholarship a won David was when he was confronted by a drunken drunken a by confronted was he when was a got they’ve ‘When Congo. the in soldier and face your on look the like don’t gun, the that’s – language your speak don’t apprehensive.’ get to time I’m – situation dangerous a in was I if of out way his negotiate would he sure out, broke war when 13 was He trouble. of picture intense an up conjures he and brother elder his While time. the at life Leverhulme prestigious the won Richard on then and RADA to went Scholarship, days, but insists it isn’t a legacy from his his from legacy a isn’t it insists but days, more are beings ‘Human adventures. adding says, he animal,’ any than frightened felt ever has he time only the Scarlet Macau in in Macau Scarlet Of Life The for 1998 with walking Birds; in Penguins King Living The for 1984 Frozen The Planet: feeding World; 1982 in Orang-utans Talking to the the to Talking (clockwise animals a with right): from

So did he find it hard being away from from away being hard it find he did So these limp slight a with walks David Venturing on to more personal ground, ground, personal more to on Venturing the in is he time only the Perhaps David is certainly a product of those those of product a certainly is David

just a passenger, so they always stayed always they so passenger, a just making was thing important The home. at that.’ understood family my – film the www.allaboutyou.com/goodhousekeeping wasn’t as much as a pilot or a sea captain,’ captain,’ sea a or pilot a as much as wasn’t children, for trips weren’t ‘They says. he as come to wanted have wouldn’t Jane and his family so much? ‘Well, I was only only was I ‘Well, much? so family his it – year the of months three for away Archaeology and Anthropology at the the at Anthropology and Archaeology Canberra. in University National Australian retired a is Susan, sister, younger Robert’s Surrey. in living head, school primary our son Robert was born, we moved to to moved we born, was Robert son our lecturer senior a now is Robert Richmond.’ of School the at Bioanthropology in tiny house in Chelsea. ‘It leaked like a like leaked ‘It Chelsea. in house tiny just was ‘London recalls. he sieve,’ when So bombed. being from recovering couple starting out, money was tight. was money out, starting couple of sum princely the paid job first David’s a was home first their and year, a £350 Jane at Leicester University when she when University Leicester at Jane sciences, social in degree a taking was any Like 1950. in married they and one every 10 days isn’t it?’ he laughs. laughs. he it?’ isn’t days 10 every one is interview our during guarded bit least met He family. his about speaking in regret. I ask him if it was love at first first at love was it if him ask I regret. it isn’t 19, or 18 at on, ‘Come sight? it’s mean, I sight? first at love always They were married for 48 years until her her until years 48 for married were They a on away was he while 1997 in death with about talked has he which trip, much else that makes me laugh,’ he says. says. he laugh,’ me makes that else much Jane. wife adored his about David ask I and modest, with a wicked sense of humour. humour. of sense wicked a with modest, and anything been never has there me, ‘For Python, Monty or Porridge than funnier isn’t there But Office. The enjoyed I and times, and the closest thing we have to a a to have we thing closest the and times, urbane is He figure. renaissance modern 150 refugee kids. When war broke out out broke war When kids. refugee 150 “Now girls. Jewish two in took also they me.’ to said they sisters”, two got you’ve seeing my mother on her hands and and hands her on mother my seeing a – Hall Evington scrubbing knees accommodate to order in – house disused and freedom – something sadly missing missing sadly something – freedom and had parents his Both children. today’s for remember ‘I conscience: social acute an World War II as a time of both austerity austerity both of time a as II War World PHOTOGRAPHS: BBC, REX BBC, PHOTOGRAPHS: GHinterview

for a job as a BBC radio producer. He Family ties didn’t get it, but several weeks later he (clockwise from right): received a letter inviting him to go and with brother work at Alexandra Palace in ‘this new Richard in thing called television’. The year was 2006; at a book awards 1952 and, like most Britons at the time, with daughter he didn’t own a television. ‘But I thought Susan in 2003; it sounded like fun. In those days, they at home with Robert and were actually trying to persuade people Susan in 1962 to join television!’ After a decade producing programmes, David was made controller of the brand new BBC Two and was even responsible for the introduction of colour television. ‘It was a marvellous privilege. I was given several million pounds of budget with the remit to set up an entirely new network,’ he recalls. (In case you didn’t know, he also gave us Match Of The Day, televised snooker and The Likely Lads.) Even at 82, David’s work is still a huge part of his life and, fortunately for us, he has no intention of retiring – ever. ‘If you have a paid job with a pension, I suppose you might retire. But if, like me, you’re freelance and want to go on working, then you just do! I don’t know what I’d do if I stopped,’ he says pausing to contemplate the idea. ‘I would just go to seed.’ As if to illustrate his point, last night he was in Aberdeen to receive out on? ‘Well, bearing in mind that there ‘another honorary degree and give a are something like six billion species, I lecture,’ obviously delighted that he’s still certainly haven’t seen a millionth of in demand. He’s also thoroughly immersed them. I haven’t swum with a whale shark in his next project for the BBC – a of man on the environment. For the first and I haven’t been to Tibet. Those are documentary about Charles Darwin and time in the interview, he is sombre. ‘I am the two things I would have liked to do.’ as keen as anybody that we shouldn’t Passionate, courteous, a national In those days, they were lose the mountain gorilla or the giant treasure who can turn nature’s mysteries actually❛ trying to persuade panda, but it is really whole ecosystems into universal entertainment… As our we should be concerned about. The loss interview ends, it’s tempting to think that people to join television! of species is just a token of something Attenborough himself might be a dying ❜ much bigger. The air we breathe and the breed. Telling myself off for exaggerating, evolution to celebrate the bicentennial food we need to live on are dependent on I put on my raincoat and get ready to of Darwin’s birth in February 2009. the ecosystems we’re losing.’ leave – and then Sir David Attenborough So is there anything he still wants to If there is one person on the planet proves my point and insists on escorting do or achieve? ‘No,’ he says decisively. who can galvanise the masses, it must me to the bus stop. ‘Now that I’m in my 80s, I can’t climb be David Attenborough. Although, as trees or walk for six hours at a stretch. modest as ever, he still insists that his David Attenborough’s Life On Land Your appetite for these things changes extraordinary career is mostly down to – A DVD Encyclopaedia (15 disc set) is out on 20 October, priced according to your abilities. I don’t yearn good fortune. ‘The element of luck is so at £99.99. We have 10 sets to give to go on long route marches anymore, profound, so enormous. I wouldn’t mind away. For a chance to win, send a because I know I can’t.’ tuppence if I never appeared on television postcard with your details to GVGDHP05444, PO Box 248, Haslingden, Rossendale, BB4 Not surprisingly for someone who again. But I would mind if I couldn’t 0BH* to arrive by XX November 2008. has had an extraordinary front seat on make programmes anymore,’ he says. *Depending on the contact details you give us, The National Magazine Company Ltd directly, or via its agents, may contact you the natural world for the past several It is said that he is the most travelled with offers, products and services reflecting your preferences. If you don’t want offers from us, or third parties, please write ‘no decades, Attenborough has become person on the planet. So is there any offers in the top left-hand part of your postcard. For our data policy, see www.natmags.co.uk/dp. Standard rules apply, see page 6. increasingly outspoken on the impact animal or place he thinks he has missed PHOTOS PA GETTY; PHOTOGRAPHS:

50 GH • November 2008 www.allaboutyou.com/goodhousekeeping