Sir David Attenborough sparks concern as fans spot something 'not quite right'

Legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has returned to our TV screens with a new series about Asia, but some fans seemed to express concerns about his voice on social media

Sir David Attenborough has sparked concern among his fans who pointed out that something was "not quite right" in his voice.

The 98-year-old broadcaster returned to the BBC last night for a new programme titled "Asia" which explores the wildlife and natural wonders of the planet's largest continent. Sir David took viewers on a journey to explore the oceans of Asia, introducing amazing creatures such as fish that can climb trees and squids that glow in the dark.

As he usually does when presenting a programme, Sir David provided the voiceover narration for the latest documentary. But some people claimed on social media that his voice "sounded different" with a fan claiming it might have been "tweaked" in some way.

A person wrote on X, formerly called Twitter: "Anyone else confused as to why the voice of the amazing David Attenborough sounds different? It's like it's been auto tuned?" Someone even went as far as to claim that the voice sounded like artificial intelligence, tweeting: "David Attenborough now sounds like a bad David Attenborough impersonator - slightly off, like the new faux-Sallis Wallace. Perhaps he's AI now?"

One more user wrote: "It's not quite right, is it? It's definitely been tweaked in some way. To begin with I thought it was someone else narrating." Another asked: "What have they done to his voice?!" And one more chimed in: "Hi @BBCEarth Not sure having David Attenborough sound like a chipmunk is a fine example of post-production. What a shame." The BBC said no AI or auto tune has been used - and the presenter's voice has been recorded in the same way it has been for years.

The film began with Sir David walking through the Natural History Museum and telling viewers about what Asia has to offer. He said: "It covers almost a third of the land on Earth. In the south, stand vast forests. And to the north, lies an immense frozen wilderness. Much of the centre is dominated by deserts. And at its heart are the world’s highest mountains. Off the coast of this continent, stretch the richest seas on Earth.

"And that's not all. This is the most populous place on the planet. Here, animals live alongside humans in the most remarkable ways. If you think you've seen the best the natural world has to offer. There's nowhere else on Earth with so many untold stories. Welcome then, to Asia."

Still showing his passion for nature and the environment at the age of 98, Sir David previously admitted that he "dreads" the prospect of not being able to work, and would only stop if his health prevented him from doing a good job. Explaining a few years ago that he spends a lot of time crafting his scripts, he added: "If I think I'm not producing commentary with any freshness, I hope I would be able to recognise it before someone else told me. If I thought I was turning in substandard work, that would stop me."

Mike Gunton, his long-term collaborator and creative director of the BBC's Natural History Unit, doesn't think he'll ever see Sir David retiring. Earlier this year he insisted: "It's never going to happen." Four years in the making, the seven-part Asia is the first time the wildlife of the world's largest continent has been the focus of a major BBC series.

Natural history commissioning chief Sreya Biswas promised the series would be "a feast for the eyes", adding: "We are absolutely delighted to have Sir David Attenborough presenting our fantastic new landmark series Asia for BBC1. Asia is a continent steeped in beauty and intrigue with some of the most wonderfully diverse habitats on the planet."

A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror: "No AI or auto tune has been used on Sir David's voice, which was recorded in exactly the same way it has been for years."

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