💔 Sir David Attenborough shares emotional memories of late wife Jane after stepping away from filming to be with her. K1

ir David Attenborough is a true British icon, rarely off our screens thanks to his incredible career. But while fans know all about his groundbreaking work, many are left wondering about his life away from the cameras – including his late wife, Jane.

Despite decades in the spotlight, David – who turns 100 today (May 8) – has always kept his private life closely guarded. The much-loved broadcaster prefers to stay out of the limelight when it comes to his family, choosing instead to let his work do the talking.

However, he did offer a rare and emotional glimpse into his personal world in his 2010 memoir, Life on Air. In the book, David Attenborough reflected on the heartbreaking loss of his wife Jane, who died 13 years before its release.

The couple had been together for almost 50 years, sharing a long and devoted marriage. Jane was said to be a constant source of support throughout his career, standing by him as he became one of the most recognisable voices on television.

David Attenborough on loss of wife

The wildlife filmmaker tied the knot with his wife Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel in 1950 when he was 24, and they lived together in the London borough of Richmond Upon Thames.

The couple soon welcomed two children Robert and Susan, who are now in their fifties and live their lives away from the spotlight.

After spending 47 years married, Jane sadly died in 1997 at the age of 70 from a brain haemorrhage.

At the time, David was filming The Life of the Birds documentary for the BBC in New Zealand. While he was away, he received the sad news that his beloved wife had collapsed.

He flew straight home to be by her side and thankfully arrived just before she passed away. David mentioned holding her hand in his book and wondering if she would respond with one final gesture. 

He wrote: “She did and gave my hand a squeeze.”

David Attenborough also admitted he was lost without his wife Jane, writing: “The focus of my life, the anchor, had gone. Now I was lost.”

He told the Daily Mail in 2009 that he still lived in the same house that they had raised their children in.

“The thing is, when you go around the house, you know that, no matter how many doors you open, there is not going to be anybody there, and that’s a pity,” admitted David.

Returning to work helped David’s grief

Also, in his memoir, he explained that returning to work was his salvation.

He said: “I was in the middle of a series when my wife died. I took time off, of course, but there was an obligation there. There were things to do.

“It’s a great relief when somebody is driving you to get on with things.”

The beloved broadcaster went on to work on hit nature documentaries such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet.

He also opened up to the Radio Times on managing the loss of his wife.

He said: “You accommodate things… you deal with things. I’m quite used to solitude in the wilds, but, no, an empty house is not what I enjoy.

“But my daughter is there. In moments of grief deep grief, the only consolation you can find is in the natural world.”

Sir David’s biggest regret of his career

Sir David has had a shining career, but the nonagenarian still has one regret when it comes to his 72-year-long legacy.

But the biologist revealed one of his only regrets is spending so much time working away and being absent for long periods of times while his children were growing up.

He explained to Radio Times: “If you have a child of six or eight and you miss three months of his or her life, it’s irreplaceable – you miss something. My dear wife was very understanding about it. Perhaps you can’t have your cake and eat it.”

David added that being reminded over his absence would lay bare how often he was away.

“You know, ‘you were never there. You don’t remember that, father, do you, because you weren’t there?’” he added. “But you can’t have it all, can you? I mean, I’m not complaining. I really shouldn’t regret anything, because I’ve been just so unbelievably lucky.”