The photos of Sir David Attenborough's own life story

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David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough's a legend. We know that.

He's been on our TV screens for 60 years and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't seen at least one of his nature documentaries.

His latest, Life Story, begins on BBC One on Thursday night and looks at the journeys of various animals over the course of their lifetime.

We thought there was no better time to look back at exactly what Sir David's life story has been like.

It's been epic.

Trawling the archives, we found some absolute gems of photos.

TV debut

David Attenborough
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Sir David at age 27 at the beginning of his TV career

Sir David Attenborough joined the BBC in 1952 as a producer before moving in front of the camera in 1954 as the presenter of Zoo Quest.

The premise was that he joined staff from London Zoo to travel the world finding animals to bring back to the UK (it was allowed back then).

He brought exotic locations like Paraguay and Madagascar into people's front rooms.

It was those early days when he cemented his love of nature and in 1958, he welcomed two special guests to the studio, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

David Attenborough
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David Attenborough introducing Cocky the Cockatoo to the young royals

David Attenborough
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Sir David Attenborough meeting tribesmen and children of New Guinea for Zoo Quest

The "Don Draper" days

He left the BBC briefly in the 1960s to study at the London School of Economics but was soon drawn back to TV.

In 1965, Attenborough became controller of BBC Two, cutting a suave and sophisticated figure at the BBC's Television Centre.

At that time, there were only three TV channels in black and white.

Under his time as controller, he helped bring in colour TV and was responsible for introducing Monty Python's Flying Circus to the British public.

David Attenborough
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David Attenborough doing his best Don Draper impression

David Attenborough

Life On Earth

In 1979, Sir David Attenborough made Life On Earth, a groundbreaking 13-part nature series.

For some, it carved the way for all nature programmes to come.

It used camera and editing techniques that, although we them take for granted now, were pioneering at the time.

They included things like using slow motion to show a bird's wings and using special film stock to show the vivid colours of nature.

David Attenborough
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We think Sir David strikes quite the pose

David Attenborough
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Sir David Attenborough during the filming of Life On Earth in 1979

David Attenborough
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Any ideas what he's holding? Looks like an early Sonic Screwdriver

David Attenborough
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David Attenborough experiencing zero gravity in Nasa's training aircraft

David Attenborough
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David Attenborough giving us a wave under the sea

HD and 3D

Sir David Attenborough was also there when nature programmes embraced new ways of watching TV.

In 2006, he narrated Planet Earth which was the BBC's first nature series to be filmed in HD.

He also narrated the UK's first 3D documentary. Flying Monsters 3D aired on Sky 3D in 2010 and told the story of Pterosaurs.

Recently, he told Newsbeat that he was committed to making more documentaries in the format.

Sir David Attenborough wearing 3D glassesImage source, Reuters
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One of the few men to look good wearing 3D glasses

A future in 4K?

Another first for Sir David, Life Story, is the first TV series to be filmed in ultra-hi-definition, also known as 4K.

Executive producer Mike Gunton says: "I think Life Story has raised the bar again in our natural history 'landmarks'. I think the audience will see the extraordinary ways animals survive in a wonderfully new light."

David Attenborough
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Sir David getting up close and personal with the meerkats for Life Story

David AttenboroughImage source, Getty Images
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Sir David with the Duchess of Cambridge at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

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