David Attenborough becomes oldest Daytime Emmy winner

Sir David Attenborough, the renowned naturalist and broadcaster, has made history by becoming the oldest recipient of a Daytime Emmy award at the age of 99. His documentary, ‘Secret Lives of Orangutans,’ earned him the accolade in the outstanding daytime personality, non-daily category. The Netflix production, which delves into the lives of orangutans in the jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia, also secured two additional awards for outstanding music direction and composition, as well as outstanding directing team for a single camera daytime non-fiction programme. Sir David surpassed the previous record held by actor Dick Van Dyke, who won at 98 in 2024. The 52nd annual Daytime Emmys ceremony took place in Pasadena, California, though Sir David, who is approaching his 100th birthday, was not present. With a career spanning over seven decades, Sir David has become a global icon in natural history programming, with notable works including ‘Life on Earth,’ ‘The Private Life of Plants,’ and ‘The Blue Planet.’ His recent film, ‘Ocean,’ underscores his commitment to biodiversity and climate change advocacy. Other winners at the event included ‘General Hospital’ for outstanding daytime drama series and Drew Barrymore for outstanding daytime talk series host.