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<\/p>\n As controller of BBC2 in the 1960s Attenborough had been responsible for inaugurating the regular broadcast of the RI Christmas lectures (though the celebration last Wednesday was to mark the recent re-discovery that the 1936 lectures by Geoffrey Ingram Taylor on Ships had been broadcast live<\/a> by the fledgling BBC as long ago as 1936). In 1973 Attenborough himself had the honour of presenting the lectures on\u00a0The Language of Animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Attenborough will turn 90 later this year. He is careful in his movements but his mind is as sharp as ever and he spoke with great animation and enthusiasm about his experience of giving the lectures \u2013 and their continued importance in stimulating young minds.<\/p>\n In the press of the drinks reception that followed the celebration I managed to buttonhole him and have a few words. I was under instructions from my daughter to snag an autograph but I didn\u2019t have the nerve for that \u2013 or to submit the venerable broadcaster\u00a0to the indignity of a ‘selfie’. What I did do was tell him that, much as I had loved his natural history programming over the years, what I really appreciated was the fact that while in charge of BBC2 he had commissioned a number of landmark documentary series, notably The Ascent of Man and Civilisation (my reviews are here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n Though I was aware of both series as a child in the late 60s and early 70s, at the time they were a bit beyond me. But I have caught up with them in the past few years and was delighted to find how well they have stood the test of time \u2013 and to have the chance to thank Attenborough for having brought them into the world. He was kind and gracious, and remembered Jacob Bronowski, who presented The Ascent of Man, with particular\u00a0fondness. I told him how I admired Bronowski\u2019s ability (and that of Kenneth Clark in Civilisation) to speak at length to the camera with a passion and a clarity that was captivating. Attenborough concurred and pointed out that the BBC had been fortunate to be able give such talented presenters the space to perform \u2013 each series consists of 13 hour-long episodes. We lamented the pressures that curtail factual programming series in the modern era.<\/p>\n And then, mindful that there must be many others in the crowd at the reception\u00a0who would want to speak to the great man, I thanked him again and took my leave \u2013 my heart a little gladder.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n P.S. (Mon 8th March):<\/strong> How could I have forgotten to mention this? One of the particular delights of Wednesday evening was that in a\u00a0video segment used to show off the work of the RI, there was included a short animated film about crystallography that I\u00a0had been\u00a0involved in \u2013 as script editor and narrator. After a lifetime of watching David Attenborough’s marvellous programmes on the TV, it was nice that he was presented with one of mine*.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Attenborough](\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1443\/25237348470_c6b9955014.jpg\")
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