How to watch David Attenborough's film Ocean as TV legend nears 99th birthday

Metro

06-05-2025

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As Sir David Attenborough turns 99, he's showing no signs of slowing down with his next movie about to come out.
The beloved natural history TV presenter will return to the screen later this week with his new Disney+ feature documentary, Ocean with David Attenborough.
The movie will address his most urgent message about the health of the world's oceans as he 'nears the end of his life', sharing a 'story of optimism' about recovering their former glory.
Last week, he shared a sneak peek at the feature-length documentary with the well-known conservationist saying: '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.
'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.'
He describes the oceans as 'the greatest asset against climate change' before adding a stark warning.
'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,' he said.
Ocean with David Attenborough will be available to stream from Thursday, May 8 for those with a Disney+ subscription, which offers a seven-day free trial and then costs £4.99 per month for a standard plan with ads.
For those hoping for the big screen experience, the movie will also be screening in cinemas across the UK to coincide with his 99th birthday. You can find dates and times near you here.
In the US it will premiere on National Geographic on June 7 before streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.
And that's not all, he also has a 'landmark' show already on the horizon.
But his next project is already set to follow hot on its heels with a five-part documentary coming to the BBC this summer.
The new nature series, Parenthood, will trace the 'extraordinary' lengths different species will go to ensure the survival of their children in the high-stakes wildlife world, per the Mirror.
BBC specialist factual commissioning boss Jack Bootle told the publication: 'This is a wonderful, warm, engaging and surprising series, made by some of the very best wildlife filmmakers in the world, and I'm thrilled Sir David is joining us again to narrate it.'
And comes from the creators of shows like Wild Isles, The Hunt and The Mating Game, Silverback Films, who have done a 'deep dive' over the course of two and a half years.
Series producer and director, Jeff Wilson, added that the show is 'the ultimate celebration of the joys and challenges of raising offspring in the natural world.'
He also promised that the 'landmark series has something for everyone' including 'moments of heart-warming tenderness, high stakes narrative, and a timely guide from a huge cast of unbelievably engaging cast of characters on how to navigate the complex world of Parenthood.'
Available on BBC iPlayer: Planet Earth trilogy
Blue Planet I and II
Frozen Planet I and II
Africa
Asia
Life (of Birds, on Earth)
Zoo Quest in Colour
Dynasties I and II
The full collection can be found here.
Available on Netflix: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Secret Lives of Orangutans
Life in Colour
Our Planet I and II
Available on Disney+: Secrets of Wild India
Ocean with David Attenborough (from May 8)
The show does a sweep of the vast wildlife that inhabits our planet, from adopted lion cubs to hunting blue whales to hippos surviving a brutal night.
There are elephants, cardinalfish, orangutans and plenty more species for audiences to discover – need we go on?
He has been a staple of the screen for seven decades, hosting his first ever show called Zoo Quest in the 1950s and going on to create iconic franchises like Blue Planet and Life on Earth.
Although the Planet Earth host no longer travels around the globe with his new documentaries, he is showing no signs of ending his stalwart narration.
In 2023, Planet Earth III producer Mike Gunton told The Independent: 'Working with him in his nineties is not that hard, because he can do almost anything.'
In 2018, he even outlined why retirement isn't on the cards for him if he can help it.
'I do dread not working, although there are things I can do without running up steps six times – books to be written, things I never got round to,' he said.
And then added to Radio Times: 'If I think I'm not producing commentary with any freshness, or which is apposite or to the point, I hope I would be able to recognise it before someone else told me.'
And has previously said he 'sees no reason why I can't live past 100'. More Trending
There are hopes he will narrate Blue Planet III, which is tipped to come out in 2026 after his centenary celebrations.
'As long as David wishes to continue doing narrations, we are of course delighted to have his brilliant contributions,' a source told i paper about his ongoing contributions.
Ocean with David Attenborough comes out on May 8. Parenthood will air this summer.
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This article first came out on May 5, 2025.
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