Comment: Happy 100th birthday, Sir David

As a young BBC producer in the 1950s, David Attenborough was told by his boss that he was unsuitable to appear on camera because his teeth were too big.

It was only the last-minute unavailability of a scheduled presenter that led to the manager reluctantly agreeing to him standing in. The show was Zoo Quest, and it became the first stage in Attenborough becoming arguably the most famous naturalist in the world.

What is less known is that, as controller of BBC2, he was also the man who introduced colour television to the nation, and he was later tipped as a future director-general of the corporation. But driven by his passion for nature and talent for broadcasting, he eschewed the corporate ladder to focus on what he loved most - sharing the joys of the natural world with millions of people.

One of the first people to warn of the dangers of global warming, his 2017 TV series Blue Planet II was the most-watched programme that year. With that he proved not only that it was possible to enjoy a fulfilling career in your 90s, but also that millions of people would still watch a traditional documentary series if the product was good enough.

Relatively few people live to be 100, and working beyond that age is almost unheard of. We very much Sir David proves the exception to that rule, and carries on for as long as he wishes to.

Have a happy birthday Sir David, you certainly deserve it.