Who will be playing at Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday party?

Published on 29/04/2026 - 11:41 GMT+2

Natural historian, broadcaster and British national treasure Sir David Attenborough turns 100 next month, on 8 May.

To celebrate the event as well as Attenborough’s eight-decade career, which includes the award-winning Planet Earth series, a star-studded event is being planned at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Broadcasters including Sir Michael Palin and Steve Backshall will be in attendance, as well as musicians who featured in Planet Earth.

Bastille frontman Dan Smith will be performing a classical version of the band’s hit ‘Pompeii’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra, following the track being used in Planet Earth III.

Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós will also be performing their classic ‘Hoppípolla’. Featuring on their 2005 album ‘Takk’, the song was used in the soundtrack for the trailer of the first season of 2006’s Planet Earth and in promotions for Planet Earth II.

The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform the scores associated with some of the most unforgettable moments from Attenborough’s programmes.

There will also be music from the British singer Sienna Spiro and Paraguayan harpist Francisco Yglesias, who will play the traditional 'Pajaro Campana' – a piece that featured in Zoo Quest, Sir David’s first wildlife programme.

David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth will air on his birthday on BBC One and iPlayer. The BBC will also air two other shows to mark Attenborough’s centenary: Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure and Secret Garden – a new, five-episode show that explores the hidden stories within Britain’s gardens and offers insights into how the public can contribute to saving struggling species.