Sir David Attenborough has officially made television history — again.
The beloved British naturalist, now 99, just became the oldest Daytime Emmy winner ever, taking home the award for Outstanding Daytime Personality (Non-Daily) for his Netflix docuseries The Secret Lives of Orangutans. The series also scooped up two more trophies, cementing it as one of the breakout wildlife hits of the year.
Attenborough’s win dethroned 98-year-old Dick Van Dyke, who held the record last year after his surprise Days of Our Lives appearance.
In The Secret Lives of Orangutans, Attenborough follows a multi-generation orangutan family in the lush jungles of Sumatra, using his signature narration to draw emotional parallels between humans and our great ape cousins. The series spotlights young Eden, an 8-year-old orangutan navigating independence in one of the planet’s most pristine ecosystems.
Although Attenborough didn’t attend the Pasadena ceremony on Oct. 17, he beat out big names like Anthony Mackie (Shark Beach: Gulf Coast), Martha Stewart (Martha Gardens), and Brad Bestelink (Living with Leopards).
The Emmy marks yet another career milestone for the legendary broadcaster, who also broke Instagram records in 2020 for reaching a million followers in under five hours.
And he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Earlier this year, Attenborough launched Ocean with David Attenborough on National Geographic — a breathtaking two-year production exploring mysterious marine worlds and the urgent need to restore ocean health.
“My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery,” Attenborough said in a statement. “We’ve uncovered remarkable new species and dazzling ecosystems — but we’ve also seen how fragile they are. This film shows not just the beauty of the ocean, but how it can be restored.”
At 99, Attenborough continues to redefine what it means to be a storyteller — turning scientific wonder into television magic, one Emmy at a time.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.