A special live BBC event is set to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, bringing together notable broadcasters and musicians for an evening of reflection and performance. Hosted by Kirsty Young, the event will take place at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall and will be broadcast on television.
Performances and Participants
The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform iconic scores from Sir David’s landmark series, including music from Planet Earth and Blue Planet. Dan Smith, lead singer of the Brit Award-winning band Bastille, will join the orchestra to play Pompeii, a track featured in Planet Earth III. Icelandic band Sigur Ros will perform Hoppipolla, which was used in promotions for Planet Earth and Planet Earth II.
Broadcasters such as Sir Michael Palin, Steve Backshall, and Chris Packham will share their reflections on Sir David’s impact and legacy. Kirsty Young expressed her enthusiasm, stating: “Sir David’s gift to the world has been a life spent exquisitely revealing Earth’s wonders to us all. The very least he deserves is a big 100th birthday bash at the Royal Albert Hall. I’m very happy indeed, as the host, to be able to invite everyone to the party.”
Musical Highlights
The concert will feature scores from unforgettable wildlife moments, such as the dramatic snakes and iguanas chase from Planet Earth II and the powerful wave-washing orcas sequence from Frozen Planet II. Additionally, British singer Sienna Spiro and Paraguayan harpist Francisco Yglesias will perform the traditional Pajaro Campana, a piece from Sir David’s first wildlife programme, Zoo Quest.
Production Details
The 90-minute programme, titled David Attenborough’s 100 Years On Planet Earth, is jointly staged and produced by BBC Studios Music Productions and the Natural History Unit in partnership with The Open University. It will air on Sir David’s birthday, May 8, at 8:30 PM on BBC One and iPlayer.
