Sir David Attenborough fans were left confused when they noticed something different about his voice on his latest TV series, saying it’s ‘not quite right’.
Last night, the beloved natural historian returned to the BBC for yet another eye-opening programme, this time delving into the wonders of nature and animal life in Asia.
In the first episode, the 98-year-old took viewers on a journey to explore the oceans of the expansive continent, introducing creatures including tiny fish that actually have the ability to climb trees, and glow-in-the-dark squids.
The film began with Sir David walking through the Natural History Museum and sitting at a table with a book, before telling the audience that ‘of all the wonderful places in the world, one continent holds more riches than any other’.
He continued: ‘It covers almost a third of the land on Earth. In the south, stand vast forests. And to the north, lies an immense frozen wilderness. Much of the centre is dominated by deserts. And at its heart are the world’s highest mountains. Off the coast of this continent, stretch the richest seas on Earth.
‘And that’s not all. This is the most populous place on the planet. Here, animals live alongside humans in the most remarkable ways. If you think you’ve seen the best the natural world has to offer. There’s nowhere else on Earth with so many untold stories. Welcome then, to Asia.’
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During this scene, while Sir David was talking to the camera, his voice sounded the same as it normally does.
However, when he provided the voiceover narration for the programme, some viewers pointed out that he didn’t sound like his usual self.
‘Anyone else confused as to why the voice of the amazing David Attenborough sounds different? It’s like it’s been auto tuned?’ @ash51116 remarked on X.
‘David Attenborough now sounds like a bad David Attenborough impersonator – slightly off, like the new faux-Sallis Wallace. Perhaps he’s AI now?’ @Morris_Oxford also wrote.
@Kite311 chimed in to say: ‘It’s not quite right, is it? It’s definitely been tweaked in some way. To begin with I thought it was someone else narrating.’
‘What have they done to his voice?!’ @JoJenks1 questioned, as @RobertPost_Prod commented: ‘Hi @BBCEarth Not sure having David Attenborough sound like a chipmunk is a fine example of post-production. What a shame.’
Despite fans’ confusion over Sir David’s voice, plenty of people were delighted that they had a new programme to watch from the broadcaster.
‘I could listen to him talk all day long. Well done to the camera crews who film these docs… sublime as always. I love seeing animals and sea creatures doing their thing,’ a viewer called @Lou__007 said with gratitude.
@KulzSN added that ‘David Attenborough Sunday evening comfort viewing is the best thing this country has.’
During an interview, Planet Earth III executive producer Mike Gunton revealed to Metro that Sir David does not like being referred to as a ‘national treasure’, despite that being a term that is often used to describe him.
‘He hates it, by the way,’ Mike said. ‘I say hates it… If anybody says he’s a national treasure, he sort of slightly raises his eyebrows and says, “Really?” That’s a generational thing.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted the BBC for comment.
Sir David Attenborough’s Asia is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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