In 1976, production began on the BBC TV series Life on Earth. Fronted by David Attenborough, no one had attempted to create a natural history series on this scale before.
The team working on Life on Earth travelled to 40 countries, across a million miles, and filmed over 600 species.
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The series aimed to tell the story of evolution, from the first fossilised signs of life to the most complex living creatures. It was critically acclaimed and watched by 500 million people worldwide.
And as Michael Palin narrates in the clip below, it also produced “one of the most memorable moments on British television”.
Now, the BBC is celebrating Attenborough’s 100th birthday (on 8 May) with a special programme reflecting on the milestone series. Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure goes behind-the-scenes, featuring exclusive interviews with Attenborough and other members of the original crew.
They reveal the highs and lows of filming during an exciting time when global jet travel and colour filming were still in their infancy.
Speaking as part of the announcement, Jack Bootle, head of commissioning for specialist factual, explained: “It’s impossible to overstate what Sir David Attenborough has given us. His programmes have not only defined science and natural history broadcasting, but they have also changed how we see our planet and our place within it.”
