In 1965, Sir David became Controller of BBC2 and was responsible for the introduction of colour television into Britain. In January 1969, he was appointed Director of Programmes with editorial responsibility for both of the BBC's television networks. Then, in 1973, he resigned to return to programme-making, claiming "I haven't even seen the Galapagos Islands". First came Eastwards with Attenborough, a natural history series set in South East Asia, then The Tribal Eye, examining tribal art.

An estimated 500 million people worldwide watched the 13-part series Life on Earth, written and presented by Sir David. At the time it was the most ambitious series ever produced by the BBC Natural History Unit. Its sequel, The Living Planet, came five years later in 1984 and in 1990 the final part of the trilogy, The Trials of Life was broadcast. He also wrote and presented two shorter series, The First Eden, on the long history of mankind's relationship with the natural world in the lands around the Mediterranean, and Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives, about fossils.

In 1993, Sir David presented the spectacular Life in the Freezer, a celebration of Antarctica and in 1995, he wrote and presented the epic The Private Life of Plants. In 1996, Attenborough in Paradise fulfilled a lifelong ambition to make a special film about the elusive but beautiful birds of paradise. In 1997, he narrated the award-winning Wildlife Specials, marking 40 years of the BBC Natural History Unit. In 1998, he completed an epic 10-part series for the BBC, The Life of Birds. In Autumn 2000 he presented State of the Planet and in Autumn 2001 he narrated The Blue Planet.

In 1985, Sir David was knighted. Over the years he has received honorary degrees and a number of prestigious awards including Fellowship of The Royal Society. He is a Trustee of the British Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and President of the Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

This bio copied from the BBC website