Sir David Attenborough, whose show, Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster, is on today (Sunday, September 28), once underwent some “nasty” surgery to ensure he could keep working.
The broadcasting legend, 99, opened up about the surgery during an interview back in 2015, where he also spoke about his wider health problems.
Sir David Attenborough’s heart operation
In 2013, Sir David stunned fans by undergoing heart surgery. The star, who was 87 years old at the time, had a pacemaker fitted. A pacemaker is a device that helps the heart maintain a regular and appropriate rhythm.
David was forced to cancel a sell-out speaking tour of Australia due to the surgery.
His spokesperson at the time said: “Sir David has now had the operation and his doctors are satisfied with his progress.”
Before the op, the star was described as being his usual “lively” self. “It’s a minor procedure, but it meant that he cannot go on a 27-hour flight to Australia,” they added.
Sir David Attenborough on ‘nasty’ operation
Two years later, in 2015, Sir David was forced to undergo surgery once again, this time on his knees.
“I had one done. They [the doctors] weren’t keen on doing both at the same time, which I would have liked because I was in my eighties. They don’t want to keep you on anaesthetic for that long,” he told the Daily Mail at the time.
“It was a nasty business. Not fun. I thought, I’m not going through that again. But then the other one started playing up and I realised that if I wanted to go on making programmes I’d better be able to walk,” he then continued.
“Now I can walk for an hour. I shall be going off to Patagonia in a couple of weeks, where we’re doing a film on a huge dinosaur that’s being excavated.”
Sir David on ‘dread’ of approaching end of his life
Back in 2021, Sir David was asked by American TV host Anderson Cooper what he was most fearful of at that present time.
“Becoming helpless and gaga,” the star replied. He has previously expressed “dread” over the prospect of not being able to work any more.
In his documentary, Ocean, Sir David also briefly spoke about “approaching” the end of his life.
“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,” he said.
“After living for nearly a hundred years on this planet, I now understand that the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”
Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster airs today (Sunday, September 28) at 4.50pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
So what do you think of this story? Then leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.