A colossus of wildlife filmmaking, Sir David Attenborough has spent more than half a century standing – metaphorically, at least – head and shoulders above every other natural history presenter. But how tall is he when you take away the legend?
How tall is David Attenborough?
With Sir David reaching 100 years of age on May 8 2026, he may have lost the odd centimetre to time, as we all do. Officially, though, he measures 1.78 metres (5ft 10ins). Not towering, perhaps – but certainly not small. In fact, he stands slightly above the height of the average British man, who, according to recent data, reaches 1.76m.
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In the world of wildlife presenters, however, Sir David is edged out by a few familiar faces. John Craven and Chris Packham both reach 1.83m (6 feet), while Steve Backshall comes in just ahead at 1.82m (5ft 11ins).
Out in the wild, Sir David holds his own rather well. The average mountain gorilla measures between 1.5–1.8m (5-6 feet), putting him firmly in their league. In fact, during his famous 1978 encounter with a group of Rwandan mountain gorillas, Sir David looked entirely at ease in their company.
Of course, the natural world is full of creatures that make even the most distinguished broadcaster look modest. A giraffe, the tallest land mammal, stretches between 4.3–5.9m (14 and 19 feet). Even a newborn giraffe arrives standing at around 1.83m (6 feet) – already eyeing Sir David from above.
He’s also outscaled by the average African bush elephant (3.6m), ostrich (2.5m), Alaskan moose (2.1m), and dromedary camel (up to 1.9m at the shoulder). It’s a tall order competing with nature.
And perhaps he has lost a centimetre or two, as he seems comparatively small when pictured next to the Prince (1.91m) and Princess of Wales (1.75m), although Kate often has the advantage of heels.
But despite the lofty competition, Sir David Attenborough remains exactly what he’s always been: a giant where it truly counts.
Maria Hodson
