BBC Quiz on David Attenborough

1. Select one: Which facial feature almost stopped Attenborough from appearing on our screens? 
(a) Teeth (b) Nose (c) Eyebrows 
Ans: (a). Attenborough’s then boss believed he shouldn’t be on TV because his “teeth are too big”.  Luckily, he was able to step in as the emergency host of the hit nature documentary series Zoo Quest in the 1950s, when the original presenter fell ill. This kick started Attenborough’s long TV career.

2. Attenborough has encountered hundreds of animals, big and small, throughout his career. Usually, he finds amazement and wonder in everything he sees. But there's one creature he doesn't like. Which animal is it? Pick one answer.
(a) Rats (b) Sting rays (c) Mamba snakes

Ans: Attenborough dislikes rats. He said they have no fear of humans and are loaded with foul diseases. However, despite his dislike of them, he went to a temple in India and filmed a documentary segment about rats for The Life of Mammals.

3. Attenborough has encountered several exotic plants over the years, including the world’s largest flowering plant found in Sumatra, Indonesia. Known for releasing a foul smell and only flowering for one to three days every few years, do you know the common name given to the plant by Attenborough? Pick one answer. 
(a) Helianthus Annuus (b) Nelumbo Nucifera (c) Titan Arum

Ans: (c). Attenborough came across the world’s largest flowering plant in his documentary series The Private Life of Plants. Rather than use its full name, Amorphophallus Titanum, he shortened the name to Titan Arum. The plant is also referred to as the corpse flower.

Helianthus Annuus is the name for a sunflower and Nelumbo Nucifera is a sacred lotus, often called a water lily.

4. Attenborough’s career highlights weren’t all nature documentaries. He also made a surprise appearance on the Glastonbury stage in 2019. What aspect of the festival did he praise while addressing the crowd? Pick one answer. 
(a) Going plastic-free
(b) The planned fallow year allowing nature to recover
(c) Kylie Minogue’s legend slot performance

Ans: (a). Attenborough took to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and talked about his Blue Planet II series, which raised awareness about the impact of plastic in the ocean.
“[The documentary] had an extraordinary effect, and now, this great festival has gone plastic-free,” he said, as the crowd erupted in cheers.

5. Released in January 2026, Attenborough presented a documentary about wildlife in London, called Wild London. Where in the capital did he describe as a “refuge and source of inspiration”? Pick one answer. 
(a) A meadow in Greenford, west London
(b) Richmond Park
(c) The grounds of the Natural History Museum

Ans: (b). Attenborough’s favourite local spot is Richmond Park. He said “standing among these marvellous trees, it’s hard to believe that I’m in a capital city”.

Quiz collated by Rosemary McCabe and the Special Projects team.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e2pdw1808o
Photo Credits: BBC; www.riddle.com