David Attenborough ‘couldn’t bear’ to watch brother Richard’s film: ‘Was no part of him’ | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV

The beloved natural historian returned to screens for episode four of ‘The Green Planet’ on BBC One at last night The 95-year-old’s new series explores the ways in which plants have learnt to survive in almost every environment. Across the five episodes of the programme, Sir David has documented the plants of the rainforests in the tropics, as well as the water plants residing in the ocean.

This week’s episode explored the extraordinary ways plants survive in the hostile conditions of the world’s deserts. 

Plants exist in the most dangerous deserts on Earth and have overcome salt, fire and toxic bird droppings to thrive in the harshest conditions.

Sir David is one of the most adored broadcasters, having offered a comprehensive survey of animal and plant life on earth across a seven-decade-long career. 

However, he is not the only major success story in his family.

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His older brother Richard, who died in August 2014 at the age of 90, was a critically acclaimed filmmaker and actor.

As a director, Richard was lauded for directing ‘Gandhi’, which won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars at the 1983 Academy Awards.

Meanwhile, as an actor Richard starred in films such as ‘The Great Escape’, ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Brighton Rock’.

Though David was a big supporter of his brother’s work, he revealed that he was “too fond” of Richard to bring himself to watch ‘10 Rillington Place’ in which the actor played a serial killer. 

Sir David added: “The thing that I’m sorry about is that actually Dick was a marvellous comic actor.

“He was very, very funny, and could be ‒ and was in domestic circumstances. 

“We just spent all our time roaring with laughter, and that didn’t get much of an outlet in his feature films. 

“I mean, Christmas time, you know, we just sat around, roaring with laughter.”

Sir David also admitted that growing up the siblings had no idea they would both enjoy such massive success in front of a camera in their respective careers. 

The broadcaster, who was knighted in the 1985 Birthday Honours, said: “I would be going out looking for magpies or newts or something and Dick would be working at the local amateur theatre, which was extremely good, in Leicester.

“Dick was there all the time. Every night, every weekend, while I was out collecting fossils.

“We couldn’t have been more different.”

He added: “I remember going to see him on set in 1941 when I was 15. It was the first film he made with Noel Coward, ‘In Which We Serve’, and that was just outstanding. 

“I was just amazed at the way people were carrying on, doing 23 takes! How could he possibly manage to come out and go, ‘Oh my God!’ 23 times? And make it better.”

Watch ‘The Green Planet’ on BBC iPlayer.