Will Sir David Attenborough be Christmas number 1? National treasure releasing album of 'field recordings'

The 92-year-old is releasing a double CD
Number one: Sir David Attenborough is set to make a shock bid to be top of the tree at Christmas
BBC NHU/Nick Lyon
Natasha Sporn22 November 2018
The Weekender

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Sir David Attenborough could be crowned Christmas number one with a single of animal sounds he recorded in South America.

The much-loved naturalist, who recently returned to screens with his new series Dynasties, is releasing a double CD album in the coming weeks filled with “field recordings” from earlier in his career.

According to the Sun, a social media campaign will be launched after the first single is played on Wednesday to get the track to the coveted number one spot at Christmas.

The record, titled La Llegada, will receive its first play on BBC Radio 2’s Drive Time with Jo Whiley and Simon Mayo, with just over a month to go until the festival chart announcement.

New track: Sir David Attenborough is releasing an album
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

If Attenborough were to scoop the accolade, the 92-year-old would be the oldest person to have had a number one single.

The national treasure would take the honour off of Sir Tom Jones, who topped the pile aged 68 with his Comic Relief cover of Islands in the Stream.

Sir David Attenborough - In pictures

Investitures at Windsor Castle
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Attenborough’s album, David Attenborough - My Field Recordings from Across the Planet, will be released on Friday featuring sounds from his travels in the 50s and 60s.

He recently announced another small screen project after revealing he had teamed up with Netflix for a nature documentary.

The brand new series, Our Planet, will take viewers globally on a “spectacular journey” across the continents and is in partnership with the WWF.

He said: “Our Planet will take viewers on a spectacular journey of discovery showcasing the beauty and fragility of our natural world.

“Today we have become the greatest threat to the health of our home but there’s still time for us to address the challenges we’ve created, if we act now. We need the world to pay attention.

Our Planet brings together some of the world’s best filmmakers and conservationists and I’m delighted to help bring this important story to millions of people worldwide."

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