Sir David Attenborough's distinguished career in broadcasting spans more than 50 years.

 

It began in 1952 when he joined BBC Television Talks Department at Alexandra Palace.

 

In 1954 he launched the first of his famous Zoo Quest series which, over the next 10 years, took him to the wilder parts of the world.

 

In between times, his programmes included political broadcasts, archaeological quizzes, short stories, gardening and religious programmes.

 

In 1965, he became Controller of BBC Two and was responsible for the introduction of colour television into Britain.

 

In January 1969, he was appointed Director of Programmes with editorial responsibility for both the BBC's television networks.

 

Then, in 1973, he resigned to return to programme-making.

 

First came Eastwards With Attenborough, a natural history series set in South East Asia, then The Tribal Eye, examining tribal art.

 

In 1979, he wrote and presented the 13-part series, Life On Earth – at the time the most ambitious series ever produced by the BBC Natural History Unit.

 

In 1984 came its sequel, The Living Planet, and in 1990 followed the final part of the trilogy, The Trials Of Life.

 

He also wrote and presented two shorter series, The First Eden, on the long history of humankind's relationship with the natural world in the lands around the Mediterranean, and Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives, about fossils.

 

In 1993, Sir David presented the spectacular Life In The Freezer, a celebration of Antarctica.

 

In 1995, he wrote and presented the epic The Private Life Of Plants.

 

In 1996, Attenborough In Paradise fulfilled a lifelong ambition for David, to make a special film about the elusive and beautiful birds of paradise.

 

In 1997, he narrated the award-winning The Wildlife Specials, marking 40 years of the BBC Natural History Unit.

 

In 1998, he completed an epic 10-part series for the BBC, The Life Of Birds.

 

In autumn 2000 Sir David presented State Of The Planet and in autumn 2001 he narrated The Blue Planet.

 

In 2002 he presented the immensely popular The Life Of Mammals, followed by Life In The Undergrowth in 2005.

 

In 2006 he narrated Planet Earth and presented the environmental series Climate Chaos: Are We Changing Planet Earth.

 

Sir David completed the last in his "Life" series with Life In Cold Blood, which transmitted on BBC One in early 2008.

 

He is currently working on a programme about Charles Darwin for transmission as part of the BBC's Darwin season, and he will be narrating Nature's Great Events for transmission next year on BBC One.

 

In 1985, David Attenborough was knighted.

 

Over the years he has received several honorary degrees and a number of prestigious awards including Fellowship of the Royal Society.

 

He has served as a Trustee of the British Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and as President of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

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