Sir David Attenborough, 98, comments on ‘nearing the end of his life' in emotional admission
In a new documentary about the state of the world's oceans, titled Ocean with David Attenborough, Sir David - who turns 99 next month - has spoken about the challenges that are facing our planet, and specifically how our oceans are being impacted.
The documentary is set to be released on 8 May, which is the same date as Attenborough's birthday.
Explaining how the ocean has changed during his almost 100 years on Earth, Sir David spoke about approaching the 'end of [his] life'.
"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," he said. "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."
In the doc, Sir David speaks about how the ocean is 'our greatest asset against climate change' but added: "Today, it is in such poor health I 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. After a lifetime of filming our planet, I'm sure nothing is more important."
After so many decades on our screens - with Attenborough's first ever TV show airing in 1953 - we can all agree that Sir David is basically the definition of a 'national treasure'.
However, it turns out that Attenborough 'hates' the accolade, with a Planet Earth III executive producer explaining it's the one title you should never give him.
Speaking to the Metro at the Planet Earth III Live in Concert event, Mike Gunton revealed that the presenter 'hates' being referred to as a 'national treasure'.
"He hates it, by the way," Mike said.
The producer, who has been working with David since the late 1980s, continued: "I say hates it… If anybody says he's a national treasure, he sort of slightly raises his eyebrows and says, 'Really?' That's a generational thing."
Ocean with David Attenborough will be available in cinemas on 8 May and on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu later this year.
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