TV Icon Candidly Admits He’s Approaching ‘the End’ of His Life

At 99, Sir David Attenborough is aware that he’s approaching “the end” of his life.

The legendary documentarian and biologist, who has voiced natural history programs for the past seven decades, reflected on his own morality and his concerns for the planet ahead of his 99th birthday this past Friday.

“When I first saw the sea as a young boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity,” Attenborough said in Ocean with David Attenborough, his upcoming film for Disney+, per the Independent. “Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true. After living for nearly a hundred years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

Following a lifetime of advocating for nature, Attenborough admitted that the planet “is in such poor health” that he “would find it hard not to lose hope were it not for the most remarkable discovery of all. If we save the sea, we save our world.” He concluded, “After a lifetime of filming our planet, I’m sure nothing is more important.”

Ocean with David Attenborough is set to debut on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7 and will be available to stream the following day globally on Disney+. The feature-length documentary aims to raise awareness for ocean protection and help people begin to understand the devastating impact of bottom trawling, a destructive fishing method in which weighted fishing nets are dragged along the ocean floor, leaving trails of devastation in its wake.

The program will mark the latest in an illustrious broadcasting career for Attenborough that has spanned 70 years, during which time he has shone a light on the environmental challenges facing the world. The broadcaster and wildlife expert first began working with the BBC in the 1950s, hosting wildlife show Zoo Quest, and released his first nature series, Life on Earth, in 1979. In the decades since, he has voiced award-winning natural history programs like The Private Life of Plants, Seven Worlds, One Planet, and The Blue Planet.

Reflecting on his illustrious career and the importance of nature programs, per the Mirror, 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, beauty, and interest, which has become key to looking after the world.”