Sir David Attenborough 'overwhelmed' by 100th birthday messages ahead of Royal Albert Hall concert

Sir David Attenborough, the veteran broadcaster and environmentalist, has said he is 'completely overwhelmed' by messages received ahead of his 100th birthday on 8 May 2026. In an audio message released on Thursday, he thanked well-wishers from pre-school groups to care home residents. A special 90-minute concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Friday evening will be the climax of a week of events. Hosted by Kirsty Young, the show will feature guests including Sir Michael Palin, Steve Backshall, Liz Bonnin, and Chris Packham. The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform pieces from Attenborough's series, with musical guests Dan Smith (Bastille), Sigur Rós, Sienna Spiro, and Francisco Yglesia. The BBC has aired special programming, including a documentary on the making of 'Life on Earth' (1979). The Natural History Museum named a parasitic wasp species Attenboroughnculus tau after him, native to Patagonian lakes in Chile. Attenborough was born in west London on 8 May 1926, joined the BBC in 1952, and has two children. His brother Richard Attenborough died in 2014.