:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/David-Attenborough-102025-9206d9589613496ca9c98f9ea402d9fe.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "David Attenborough, 99, Becomes Oldest Daytime Emmy Winner with Secret Lives of Orangutans")
David Attenborough, 99, Becomes Oldest Daytime Emmy Winner with Secret Lives of Orangutans
NEED TO KNOW
- Sir David Attenborough, 99, has made history as the oldest Daytime Emmy winner
- Attenborough was honored for his work on The Secret Lives of Orangutans, a docuseries following a multi-generation family of orangutans in Indonesia
- Attenborough recently debuted his latest project, Ocean with David Attenborough, on June 7
Sir David Attenborough has made Daytime Emmys history.
The celebrated naturalist and broadcaster, 99, was awarded his a Daytime Emmy for his 2024 Netflix show, Secret Lives of Orangutans. One of three Daytime Emmys the docuseries took home.
Attenborough earned the Daytime Emmy award for outstanding daytime personality (non-daily) — for his hosting and narrating the Netflix show . The win has cemented the world-famous broadcaster as the oldest recipient of a Daytime Emmy award, replacing Dick Van Dyke, who receievd a Daytime Emmy last year for his guest appearance on Days of Our Lives.
Secret Lives of Orangutans introduces viewers to a multi-generation orangutan family living in Indonesia, Attenborough brings additional charm and emotional to their story with his famous narration talents.
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“Orangutans are not just one of our closest relatives, they’re perhaps more relatable to us than any other great ape,” the show’s logline reads. “Narrated by David Attenborough, this film follows a remarkable group of orangutans in the pristine jungles of Sumatra. At the centre of this story is 8 year old Eden, who’s about to embark on the most challenging moment of her life.”
Attenborough did not attend the Daytime Emmy awards ceremony in Pasadena, California, on Oct. 17. Other contenders in his category also included Anthony Mackie (Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast), Brad Bestelink (Living with Leopards), Martha Stewart (Martha Gardens), and Andi Sweeny Blanco, Courtney Dober, Rob North and Kirin Stone (The Fixers).
Earlier this year, PEOPLE shared an exclusive glimpse at Attenborough’s latest documentary, Ocean with David Attenborough, made with National Geographic. The naturalist shared in a statement that his newest project is a celebration of ocean exploration and research.
“My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man,” Attenborough said in a statement.
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“In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health,” he added.
The documentary took two years to film, per National Geographic, and sheds light on the vast ecosystems found in the world’s oceans, as well as the impact of human activity on marine life.
Ocean with David Attenborough debuted on National Geographic on June 7.
