David Attenborough sends warning about ‘natural world’ ahead of Planet Earth return

David Attenborough has warned that “we depend upon the natural world” but that it is no longer “inextinguishable”.

The naturalist, 97, returns to BBC One on Sunday with a third instalment of his hit series Planet Earth, and in an earlier timeslot than usual.

Producers have said they hope this means more children will be able to tune in to the programme, as it will air at 6.15pm, rather than the previous 8pm slot.

“We depend upon the natural world, and we have assumed that the natural world was inextinguishable for many, many years,” Attenborough said.

“And that no matter what we did, we could do what we like. The natural world was always there... It is not always there.”