Looking back: When Jamie met Sir David Attenborough

As national treasure Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday, we’re looking back at a remarkable encounter between the much-loved broadcaster and our Trustee and blind veteran Jamie  — in one of the most unexpected settings imaginable.

In 2010, Jamie travelled to the top of the world to take part in the North Pole Marathon. Little did he know that, shortly after arriving, he would find himself sitting opposite Sir David Attenborough in a tent.

Sir David was in the Arctic with a BBC crew filming Frozen Planet, while Jamie was preparing to take on one of the world’s most extreme endurance challenges. Despite the unlikely surroundings, Sir David kindly agreed to be interviewed by Jamie for our magazine, Review.

Listen to the archive recording

During the interview, Sir David spoke about what had brought him to the Arctic, explaining that Frozen Planet would explore the natural history, changing climate and exploration of both polar regions.

He also revealed a personal connection to our charity. His late father-in-law, John Oriel, lost his sight as a result of being gassed during the First World War and was supported by St Dunstan’s, as Blind Veterans UK was then known.

Jamie was a captain in the Royal Engineers when he was blinded after an Army training exercise went wrong. Jamie, who was just 26 at the time, lost his sight when a box of 100 detonators exploded three feet away from him.

After becoming a beneficiary, Jamie began taking part in endurance events in order to raise money and awareness for our charity. Before the North Pole Marathon, he had completed the 150-mile Marathon des Sables in Morocco, competed in the European Blind Athletics Championships, trekked 150 miles across Mongolia’s Gobi Desert and taken part in the Trans 333 in the Sahara Desert.

Reflecting on the encounter, Jamie’s interview captured a rare and memorable moment: two very different journeys meeting at the top of the world.

From everyone at Blind Veterans UK, we wish Sir David a very happy 100th birthday.