News / David Attenborough
David Attenborough: ‘Bristol led the world to be truthful’
Sir David Attenborough has praised Bristol for leading the world to be “truthful”.
It comes as the BBC’s world famous Natural History Unit and their base on Whiteladies Road have celebrated 90 years of broadcasting.
The renowned broadcaster and national treasure spoke on Points West about the BBC “leading” natural history programming from Bristol.
is needed now More than ever
The BBC’s Broadcasting House on Whiteladies Road opened in September 1934 – photo: Martin Booth
Attenborough said: “The world would be in a far, far worse situation now had there been no broadcasting of natural history.
“People have found it a source of fascination and beauty and interest, and this has become key to looking after the world.
“People are aware of the problems of conservation in a way that could not exist without broadcasting, and the BBC can claim that we’re leading that.”
Attenborough presented Life on Earth in 1979, a landmark television programme filmed in Bristol that taught the world that “termites could be interesting”.
He added: “The other big mega power in broadcasting was the United States, and in the 1970s, viewers there just thought natural history was just lions attacking antelopes. Bristol’s programmes taught them that termites could be just as interesting.
Talking about Bristol’s “regional personality”, Attenborough said: “In 1955, I was told I was to be made head of the Natural History Unit in Bristol, and I said I would prefer not to do so because I had just bought a house in London, my son and daughter were fixed in schools.
“I also had responsibility for prime-ministerial broadcasts with Anthony Eden, which I wasn’t all that interested in, but nonetheless I had the responsibilities. Had it happened three years earlier I probably would have been there.
“It is always a joy to visit Bristol, the city has a regional personality… If you’re a broadcaster, particularly a natural history broadcaster, there is nowhere else like Bristol in the world.”
Main photo: Alistair Heap
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