Sir David Attenborough, 98, sparks concern among viewers after noticing ‘change’ in new series Asia
VIEWERS were left concerned for legendary Sir David Attenborough after spotting a ‘change’ in his new show.
The beloved natural historian, 98, narrates BBC documentary series Asia.
Airing on BBC One, the programme covers the titular continent’s natural wonders.
However, some fans observed Sir David’s voice was at a higher pitch than usual – suspecting it had been adjusted in some way.
Taking to social media, one person wrote: “Anyone else confused as to why the voice of the amazing Sir David Attenborough sounds different?
“It’s like it’s been autotuned.”
Another commented: “David Attenborough now sounds like a bad David Attenborough impersonator – like the new faux-Sallis Wallace.
“Perhaps he’s AI now?”
While a third added: “It’s definitely been tweaked in some way. To begin with I thought it was someone else narrating.”
Yet another chimed in: “Hi @BBCEarth, Not sure having David Attenborough sound like a chipmunk is a fine example of post-production. What a shame.”
Asia marks the first time the world’s largest continent has been the focus of a major BBC wildlife production.
It took four years to get the footage for the seven episodes comprising Asia, each of them an hour long.
Show bosses used cutting edge filming techniques to capture Asian wildlife in its natural habitat.
The Himalayan foothills showcase elusive red pandas to the BBC audience.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, elephants are shown halting buses on highways to beg for food from passengers.
Other filming locations include Nepal, Iran‘s Lut Desert and Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world.
Additionally, viewers have the chance to see complex conservation challenges that different areas in Asia face.
BBC's best nature shows
The BBC has a wide range of wildlife shows - and here is a selection of some of the best.
- Springwatch
- Autumnwatch
- Planet Earth
- Animal Park
- The Green Planet
- Dynasties
- Hive Alive
Sreya Biswas, BBC’s Head of Commissioning for Natural History, previously said: “We are absolutely delighted to have Sir David Attenborough presenting our fantastic new landmark series Asia for BBC One.
“Asia is a continent steeped in beauty and intrigue with some of the most wonderfully diverse habitats on the planet.
“A feast for the eyes, bringing these incredible locations and wildlife to the screen, with some behaviours never seen before, has been really exciting.”
Asia airs on BBC One and is also available on iPlayer.