You can always count on your friends to tell embarrassing stories about you, even when you are one of the world’s most famous broadcasters like Sir David Attenborough.
Sir Michael Palin has shared one of the naturalist’s most hilarious blunders, during an interview on Gabby Roslin’s podcast.
Sir Michael spoke about his friendship with Sir David, and recalled a time he turned up to an event that was honouring him a little too prematurely.
“I’ll tell you a little story that sums up David,” Sir Michael said. “He’s very loyal – if someone asks him to go somewhere, he will try and make it.
“I went to an event at Canada House and he was going to be given a medal. People were getting together and having their drinks and, suddenly, David appears. He doesn’t have an entourage. He just came in, said hello to everybody.
“I said to him, ‘David, you are brilliant, you turn up to all of these things’ and he said, ’Well, I turned up last night [but] it was the wrong night.”
Host Gabby laughed: “That is wonderful.”
The broadcasters have been friends for a number of years, with Sir Michael presenting a special BBC programme to mark Sir David’s 50 years in TV in 2019.
Last year, they also teamed up for a filmed discussion on what the coronavirus pandemic has taught us about global co-operation.
Sir David’s most recent earth science series, A Perfect Planet, began on BBC One earlier this month, covering the topics of volcanoes, the sun, weather and oceans.
The Gabby Roslin Podcast is streaming now.