Sir David Attenborough reveals the one thing that would make him RETIRE: ‘That’d stop me’

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH has announced that he would consider retirement if he noticed that the quality of his work was beginning to suffer.

Sir David Attenborough has revealed the one thing that would make him retireBBCSir David Attenborough has revealed the one thing that would make him retireSUBSCRIBE

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Trailer: Attenborough and the Sea Dragon

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The veteran broadcaster had previously said that he would continue working on natural history documentaries for as long as he’s offered the job.

And, after returning to TV screens last night for a BBC One special, Attenborough and the Sea Dragon, the great naturalist confirmed that he would only consider retirement if his standard of work slips.

Speaking to the Radio Times about the idea of giving up his role, Sir David said: “I would like to think I would be able to detect when I couldn’t find the right words any more.

“If I think I’m not producing commentary with any freshness, or which is apposite or to the point, I hope I would be able to recognise it before someone else told me.”

Sir David Attenborough has revealed the one thing that would make him retireBBCSir David Attenborough has revealed the one thing that would make him retire

The veteran broadcaster has said he'll continue presenting documentaries for as long as he is askedWENNThe veteran broadcaster has said he’ll continue presenting documentaries for as long as he is asked

If I thought I was turning in substandard work, that would stop me.

Sir David Attenborough

The much-loved narrator continued: “I spend a lot of time fiddling with the words. I write a commentary, and feel it’s finished, then go back over it the next day and find it full of infelicities, clumsiness and redundancies.

“If I thought I was turning in substandard work, that would stop me.”

The Planet Earth II presenter recently reassured fans that he won’t be slowing down in the near future, announcing that he had signed a deal with Netflix for a new conservation programme.

In an interview with the Express.co.uk, the 91-year-old discussed the positive impact that making programmes has on him.

Sir David Attenborough most recently presented the BBC documentary Attenborough and the Sea DragonBBCSir David Attenborough most recently presented the BBC documentary Attenborough and the Sea Dragon

He said: “You should ask a doctor about that but I should think it’s quite true. If you work in a job and they say, ‘Now, you’re 60 and push off’, you could end up sitting in a chair and dribbling. That’s 30 years ago when I was 60.

“But the only regular exercise I do is shutting my eyes! I don’t do anything special, diet or exercise.”