Question 1

The Royal Society unveiled a striking green portrait of Sir David Attenborough by the celebrated artist Jonathan Yeo. 

Yeo hopes that he has captured the “sort of childlike, infectious enthusiasm” that audiences associate with Sir Attenborough. 

Yeo was in the news recently for another portrait made in his signature style. Whose portrait?

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Answer: 

King Charles III - his first official portrait. 

Question 2

Before he inspired millions by bringing the natural world into our homes, David Attenborough worked at the BBC and was the controller of BBC Two - commissioning some of the greatest shows of all time including Monty Python’s Flying Circus. 

His biggest contribution perhaps was the first coloured European television broadcast (beating the Germans by 3 weeks). Which “program” from 1967?

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Answer: 

The Wimbledon 

Attenborough was responsible for sending 4 coloured cameras to the Wimbledon and broadcasting it in colour. More importantly - the yellow tennis balls (Optic Yellow to be more precise) we now associate the game with - are also his gift to television. Tennis was a white-ball sport but on colour TV viewers could not follow the white ball’s movements. Attenborough suggested switching to coloured balls and the rest is history (ironically, the Wimbledon only moved to coloured balls in 1986). 

Question 3

Sticking to sports - coloured television was especially a boon to one game that just didn’t make sense in Black and White. Attenborough was responsible for televising this game for the first time ever - and also wanted to prove why coloured TV was better. Which game?

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Answer: 

Snooker (imagine watching a game in Black and White)

Question 4

From the BBC: “Without the ambition and persistence of Attenborough and his collaborators, millions of us may never have seen some of the world's rarest creatures. It's been a constant theme throughout his career, beginning with Zoo Quest in the 1950s, when he famously caught the elusive Komodo Dragon on film for the first time. 

But in 2001, we were given an insight into a strange new world, when Attenborough narrated The Blue Planet. The series introduced millions to the wonders of the deep sea and was the first time some species, including the hairy angler fish and the <Blank> octopus, were captured on film.”

Identify the name of this octopus that moves around the ocean floor using very different appendages. 

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Answer: 

Dumbo Octopus

The name "dumbo" originates from their resemblance to the title character of Disney's 1941 film Dumbo, having two prominent ear-like fins which extend from the mantle above each eye.