Sir David Attenborough said he has one regret over his legendary broadcasting career as he turns 99

Sir David Attenborough previously shared the one regret he has over his legendary broadcasting career.

Let’s put emphasis on the ‘legendary’ there, the man’s a national treasure.

Marking his 99^th birthday today (8 May), his latest project Ocean has released with the film landing in cinemas ahead of a wider launch later his year.

This documentary about the ocean being the most vital place ‘for survival’ also features Sir David reflecting on approaching the ‘end of his life.'

The broadcaster has previously reminded us of his mortality as much of his projects tell us that it’s not too late to put things right – even if he won’t be around to experience the results.

And with so many projects to his name, there’s something about his career that he does have regret over.

He’s worked on such a long list of docs throughout his 99 years and does say that ‘there isn’t a lot’ he feels regretful for in his TV career.

But if there was one thing, he said it’s not being able to do more work in Britain as he opened up about why he couldn’t.

"If there is one thing I regret, and to be honest there isn’t a lot, it would be that I spent so much time doing overseas natural history," he previously told The Telegraph.

Although, he did get to somewhat remedy that with the 2023 release of Wild Isles as Sir David celebrated ‘the wonders of British wildlife.'

He explained in the interview that earlier in his career, there was 'a chap trying to establish Bristol as a centre of natural history', which meant that Sir David was to focus on nature abroad.

And meanwhile, the BBC's Natural History Unit - established in 1957 in Bristol - would focus on British nature.

The man's a national treasure. (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Attenborough said: "He knew which strings to pull and I could see things coming to a head.

“Eventually, we had a meeting and it was agreed I wouldn’t look at British natural history at all.

"Instead, I would go to Africa, South America and so on and [they] could deal with natural history in Britain. And I stuck to that until very recently."

Well, even if he has the regret over this, there’s no denying the huge scale of what he’s been able to achieve.

Ocean: With David Attenborough premieres with a special cinema release on 8 May before landing on National Geographic, Disney+ and Hulu later this year.