David Attenborough says he is ‘approaching the end of his life’

He turns 99 years old next week

Set to become a 99-year-old on Thursday, May 8, the nature documentarian is busy promoting his latest project, Ocean with David Attenborough.

Via Metro, Attenborough shared: “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 100 years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

In this feature-length documentary, the great man describes the ocean as “Earth’s support system” and humankind’s “greatest asset against climate change”.

The Blue Planet legend elaborated: “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.”

The celebrated broadcaster and filmmaker reveals how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery.

Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.

Stunning, immersive cinematography showcases the wonder of life under the seas and exposes the realities and challenges facing our ocean as never-before-seen, from destructive fishing techniques to mass coral reef bleaching.

Yet the story is one of optimism, with Attenborough pointing to inspirational stories from around the world to deliver his greatest message: the ocean can recover to a glory beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.

Sir David Attenborough becomes reflective about his life in a powerful new documentary film about the health of the world’s ocean. Coinciding with the broadcaster and biologist’s 99th birthday, Ocean with David Attenborough exposes the challenges facing our ocean from destructive fishing techniques to mass coral reef bleaching.

But it is also a ‘story of optimism’, with the Blue Planet star making the case that our oceans can ‘recover to a glory beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.’