Sir David Attenborough's first Zoo Quest
In 1954 the BBC broadcast a new television programme in the United Kingdom. Zoo Quest launched the career of the now world-famous broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough.
In 1954, the BBC broadcast a new television programme in the United Kingdom.
It was called Zoo Quest and it launched the career of a man who has since brought the natural world into millions of homes around the world, the broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
In 2021, Louise Hidalgo dove into the BBC archives to hear Sir David tell the story of the first natural history expedition for Zoo Quest - the hunt for the White-necked Picathartes in Sierra Leone in West Africa.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.
(Photo: Sir David Attenborough plays recordings to Bundu Tribeswomen for Zoo Quest. Credit: BBC)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Fri 8 May 202607:50GMTBBC World Service
- Fri 8 May 202611:50GMTBBC World Service
- Fri 8 May 202617:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Fri 8 May 202621:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 9 May 202602:50GMTBBC World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & Europe and the Middle East only & Live News
Podcast
![]()
Witness History
The story of our times, told by the people who were there

