David Attenborough’s Ocean film is ‘biggest message he’s ever told’
Sir David Attenborough’s latest film is “the biggest message he’s ever told”, its directors have said – with one telling Sky News the broadcaster’s final words on saving the world’s oceans brought him to tears.
Ocean With David Attenborough, released in cinemas this week to mark the broadcaster’s 99th birthday on Thursday, mirrors his lifetime as it takes viewers through 100 years of discoveries about Earth’s seas.
The presenter hopes the film could help protect the planet from climate change.
He filmed with crew members over two years to show coral reefs, kelp forests and the open seas, to show why healthy oceans are so important for keeping the planet stable.
King Charles was among the guests at the premiere, held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, and spent time with Sir David on the red carpet.
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King Charles jokes with Attenborough at premiere
Toby Nowlan, one of Ocean’s directors, who has worked with the broadcaster for about 16 years, told Sky News entertainment correspondent Katie Spencer that the film was “very different” to any of his previous work.
“Nothing has come close to how important this film is,” he said. “I remember sitting on a very cold beach off Sussex, filming with him, and we were doing the opening and closing words for the film.
“It was such a poignant moment. They were the most powerful words I’ve ever heard him say.”
Sir David speaks of how, after almost 100 years on Earth, he believes the planet’s oceans are the most important area to protect. “And if we save the ocean, we save our world,” Nowlan said. “It really hit me and, yeah, I welled up.”
He added that while Sir David’s message is his “biggest” yet, ultimately it is one of hope.
“There’s been a lot of doom and gloom over the last few years – we want the take home to be: if we save our ocean, we can make a huge difference for our climate, for our fisheries, for conservation, for food security.”
Ocean directors (L-R) Toby Nowlan, Colin Butfield and Keith Scholey ahead of the film’s premiere in London. Pic: Reuters/Isabel Infantes
‘The man never stops’
Fellow director Keith Scholey met Sir David when he was a zoology student in the 1980s and started working with the broadcaster.
“I’ve had this privilege all my career of working with the great man,” he said. “He is a huge team worker. He does what he does incredibly well, he expects very high standards, but it’s always been a really fun process working with him.”
He also has an “extraordinary” work ethic, Scholey said. “The man never stops and I think for him, time is very precious and you never waste time. He certainly never wastes time. And that’s infectious to all the people who work with him.”
And Sir David still has more to come, he added. “I’m sure this isn’t his last documentary at all, and in fact I know there are other things happening, but I think this is a really important one.”
Colin Butfield, another of the film’s directors, said all the crew would get “swept up” in the broadcaster’s enthusiasm and energy.
Pic: Silverback Films/ Open Planet Studios
‘If there’s a strange creature at the end, he’ll go anywhere’
Actor and travel presenter Sir Michael Palin, former US secretary of state and climate envoy John Kerry, and astronaut Tim Peake were also among the celebrities and well known figures at the film’s premiere.
Mr Kerry told Sky News he was “genuinely optimistic” about the future of the planet and that Ocean would be “a new motivator and a strong message that people will find inescapable”.
He added: “We all love the ocean. Everybody thinks it’s just too big to be damaged, but that’s not true. All around the world, it is currently being attacked by human beings in ways that are just not sensible, but easily correctable.”
Sir Michael described Sir David’s brilliance as a communicator – and joked about some of the situations he has filmed in over the years.
“He has a lovely way of telling stories and he obviously loves discomfort. If there’s some sort of strange creature at the end of it, he’ll go anywhere…
“He’s had it far worse [than me]. I’ve been to various places that he’s been to and I know what it’s like filming in the cold, but, you know, he lies down to look at penguins. I must say, I walk through them, but there you go.”
He said Sir David’s output “leaves all the rest of us behind”.
Sir Michael added: “I mean we’ve got to keep going because he’s setting such an example. But he does it with a sense of wonder… he does it because he’s amazingly curious about the world and still has this sense of wonder when he talks about what he’s doing. It’s really inspiring.”
A man has admitted arson after a major fire at an MP’s constituency office.
Joshua Oliver, 28, pleaded guilty to starting the fire which destroyed the office of Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, at Vermont House in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The fire also wrecked a small charity for people with very rare genetic diseases and an NHS mental health service for veterans.
The guilty plea was entered at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on the basis that it was reckless rather than intentional.
Hodgson, who has been an MP since 2005, winning her seat again in 2019. Pic: Reuters
The Crown did not accept that basis of plea.
Oliver, of no fixed address, had been living in a tent nearby, the court heard.
Northumbria Police previously said it was “alerted to a fire at a premises on Woodland Terrace in the Washington area” shortly after 12.20am on Thursday.
“Emergency services attended and no one is reported to have been injured in the incident,” it added.
Drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the building.
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A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
“We have worked closely with Northumbria Police as they carried out their investigation.”
Oliver was remanded in custody and will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, 14 October.
Dozens of people have gathered at a Sikh temple to attend an emergency meeting after police in the West Midlands said they are investigating the rape of a woman as a “racially motivated attack”.
The victim, reported to be a British-born Sikh aged in her 20s, told officers a racist remark was made to her during the attack in Oldbury, which was reported to police just before 8.30am on Tuesday.
The Sikh Federation (UK) said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman during the attack: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.”
Jas Singh, principal advisor to the Sikh Federation (UK), was among the group of faith and community leaders responsible for holding the meeting at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple in Smethwick, a few miles from Oldbury, following concerns within the community.
“I think if you look at it in the context of the climate, it makes it even more worrying because there is a trend of hatred… the targeting of migrants,” he said.
“Ultimately, what that means is the targeting of people’s skin colour, and as Sikhs we have the most distinct, unique identity,” he added.
“We bear the brunt of all prejudice and ignorance, and hate.”
Principal advisor to the Sikh Federation (UK) Jas Singh
Similar sentiments were raised at the meeting, with many horrified by the reports of the sexual assault as well as concerns about their own safety.
“People are trying to divide us,” said a woman in her 30s, who did not want to be named but said, as a Sikh woman, she wanted to be present to have her voice heard.
She was not only referencing the sexual assault but also what she believes has been an increase in overt discrimination.
“Let’s call it what it is, this is racism,” she told the meeting, as she broke down in tears.
Reverend Nick Ross, from Smethwick’s Holy Trinity Church, was also in attendance at the emergency meeting.
He commented on “offensive” graffiti that had been left on the side of the wall of the Sikh temple, while saying his Anglican church had also been defaced.
“We cannot just ignore it, it will go on and it will build, and there will be incidents like this,” he said, referencing racial tensions across the country.
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Faith and community leaders organised the meeting at the Sikh temple
Police are still trying to identify the perpetrators of the attack and want to speak to anyone who may have seen two white men in the area.
The first is described as having a shaved head and a heavy build, and was wearing a dark sweatshirt with gloves on, and the second was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.
Chief Superintendent Kim Madill, of Sandwell Police, said: “We are working really hard to identify those responsible, with CCTV, forensic and other inquiries well under way.
“We fully understand the anger and worry that this has caused, and I am speaking to people in the community today to reassure them that we are doing everything we can to identify and arrest those responsible.
“Incidents like this are incredibly rare, but people can expect to see extra patrols in the area.”
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