Sir David Attenborough Becomes New Oldest Daytime Emmys Winner Ever at 99, Beating Previous Record Holder Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke‘s record as oldest performer to win a Daytime Emmy didn’t last long. At this year’s ceremony, legendary British broadcaster, writer and naturalist Sir David Attenborough has made history, winning the 2024 Daytime Emmy award for outstanding daytime personality – Non-Daily — for Netflix’s “Secret Lives of Orangutans” at the age of 99. (He turns 100 next May.)

That makes him a hair older than Van Dyke, who previously set the record last year at 98 when won the guest performer in a daytime drama series Daytime Emmy last year via his spot on Peacock’s “Days of Our Lives.”

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Attenborough’s win was one of three for Netflix’s “Secret Lives of Orangutans,” which also won directing team for a single camera daytime non-fiction program.

Attenborough won over Brad Bestelink, “Living with Leopards” (Netflix); Andi Sweeney Blanco, Courtney Dober, Rob North & Kirin Stone, “The Fixers” (BYUtv); Anthony Mackie, “Shark Beach with Anthony Mackie: Gulf Coast” (National Geographic); and Martha Stewart, “Martha Gardens” (Roku).

Attenborough is known as one of the world’s most famous natural sciences broadcasters, starting with 1954’s “Zoo Quest.” As a narrator, his more recent successes include include “Planet Earth” and its sequels, “Blue Planet” and its sequels, “The Green Planet,” “Wild Isles,” “Dinosaurs: The Final Day With David Attenborough,” “Life In Colour,” “Frozen Planet” and more. 

Here’s the logline for “Secret Lives of Orangtutans”: “Orangutans are not just one of our closest relatives, they’re perhaps more relatable to us than any other great ape. Narrated by David Attenborough, this film follows a remarkable group of orangutans in the pristine jungles of Sumatra. At the centre of this story is 8 year old Eden, who’s about to embark on the most challenging moment of her life.”

The 52nt annual Daytime Emmy Awards took place on Friday, Oct. 17, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.