Britain's greatest naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, celebrated his centenary on Friday and thanked well-wishers "most sincerely".
In a recorded audio message shared on Thursday night, Attenborough expressed his deep appreciation for birthday greetings and said he had been "completely overwhelmed".
"I've been completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings, from preschool groups to care home residents and countless individuals and families of all ages. I simply can’t reply to each of you all separately, but I would like to thank you all most sincerely for your kind messages.”
Though he had rather thought he would celebrate his 100th birthday quietly, the luminary added: "It seems that many of you have other ideas".
According to the Guardian, the milestone will be marked with a live event at the Royal Albert Hall broadcast on BBC One, featuring music from his programmes as well as stories and reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world.
Several other broadcasters, scientists, politicians and pop culture celebrities paid tribute to Attenborough, with naturalist Chris Packham describing him as "the greatest ambassador for life on Earth the planet has and will ever see," and actor Ian McKellen saying Attenborough summed up "the best about the BBC ", making serious programmes for a popular audience, the Guardian reported.
