What it's really like working with David Attenborough behind the camera
Sir David Attenborough is a national treasure with a remarkable career that spans eight decades; and he's still working at 99-years-old. Attenborough even worked on his 98th birthday to film BBC show Asia last year.
Now Yahoo UK speaks to those who worked closely with the natural historian on his latest film — Ocean With David Attenborough — that reveals the ocean is vital for our survival and shows "shocking" never-before-seen footage of bottom trawling. The nature documentary movie will air on National Geographic and be available to stream on Disney+ on Sunday, 8 June.
Director Keith Scholey shares insight into what it's really like to work with Attenborough after working together for more than four decades.
He tells Yahoo UK: "It's always incredible [to work with David Attenborough]. I've worked with him for 44 years so it's not a new experience but every time, it's a different experience.
"I learned so much, always through my whole life I keep on learning from this amazing man, and this has been a really special film because together we've all been on this mission to try and tell the world about the power of ocean protection and it's such an uplifting story... And wow! It's just amazing seeing David, a 98-year-old man, giving performances like he did for our film. It's extraordinary."
Working with Attenborough for four decades, Keith reveals the new thing he learned from him while working on film Ocean together.
He adds: "Well, I think the thing with David is that so much has happened to him in all his life. That when you, when we sit around and tell stories, he always comes up with a new story about something he did. Which you thought, 'wow, you were there'.
"You saw that happen, you were part and parcel of that moment in history, and which I thought I had no idea [about], and it's that depth of his experience. He's probably known every prime minister this country's had since Winston Churchill and just that alone [is impressive].
"Another prime minister comes along, they will want to meet him! And it's just, 'I've met a lot of those.' But he has a sort of an amazing insight over so many things way beyond natural history."
Also in conversation with Yahoo UK, director Colin Butfield hails Attenborough as a "living legend" and "absolutely brilliant" to work with.
"It's all you could have ever hoped for and more," he says. "He's the living legend and I'm sure you did, but I grew up watching David Attenborough from an extremely early age.
"And to be working on this with him, directing, producing this really authored personal piece that he says is the greatest message he's ever told is just the biggest privilege ever."
Check out Ocean With David Attenborough in pictures below
Ocean With David Attenborough released 8th May 2025
Executive Producer, Scientific Advisor and National Geographic Explorer, Enric Sala praises Attenborough as the voice everyone trusts.
He explains: "For me, the biggest satisfaction is to see him tell that story in the film, right, to have all that scientific information, all that evidence, told in the voice for nature, the voice of authority, that's such a gift."
In the movie, the 99-year-old reflects on his own mortality as he has lived on the planet for nearly 100 years. Butfield explains why this is an important part of the film and absolutely crucial to include.
"He [David Attenborough] is the most trusted voice and storyteller in the world so when he says something everyone listens," director Butfield says.
"So that's a heck of an attribute to a film. And as you say, this is his journey, [his] discovery as much as anyone else's. This film is a love letter to the world to save the ocean. After nearly 100 years on Earth, he reaches this epic conclusion and that's just amazing.
"The film is the end of this big journey of discovery for him. It's a journey of discovery of the ocean and hopefully the beginning of a journey of discovery for all of us. It certainly was for me, it's the beginning of a completely new journey for me. It's changed my life forever, what I found out by making this film."
Ocean with David Attenborough ends with the powerful message that there is hope and Attenborough predicts that the ocean "may not just recover but thrive beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen".
Ocean with David Attenborough airs Sunday 8 June at 8pm on National Geographic and streams the same day on Disney+.
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