Sir David Attenborough reveals he will never return to Instagram

Sir David Attenborough has revealed he will never return to Instagram, after quitting the social media platform in November. 

The broadcaster, 94, originally signed up back in September last year to issue a stark warning that ‘the world is in trouble’ with users, but promptly quit two months after he joined.

Appearing on BBC Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James on Friday, he said of his decision: ‘I’m so old I can’t get used to all these new media but I was persuaded to do so in order to do a message about conservation. 

‘So for a limited period of time I contributed to Instagram but I’m off now. I’m not on it anymore and I don’t intend to go back. I’ve got enough problems with post.’

‘I get 70 letters a day! I do my very best [to respond to them all]. Sometimes people, mercifully, don’t actually put their address on because people are so unaccustomed to sending letters.’

Host Greg James joked that now Sir David had declared he answers fan letters on the radio he would now get even more.

The much-loved naturalist then quipped: ‘If you wouldn’t mind including a self-addressed stamped envelope I’d be delighted to reply!’

MailOnline revealed in November that Sir David’s Instagram, which previously held the record as the fastest page to gain a million followers, currently states it is ‘no longer active’ in its biography section. 

He initially joined the social media networking service to warn ‘the world is in trouble’ as part of his lifelong campaign to halt climate change. 

In September, the historian attracted one million accounts in just four hours and 44 minutes.

The media personality beat out Jennifer Aniston’s time of five hours and 16 minutes, but has since been taken over by Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint, who amassed the backing in just four hours and one minute.

The conservation expert’s site still boasts a whopping 6.2 million followers and will signpost fans to inspiring accounts.

A spokesperson for his film, A Life On Our Planet, told MailOnline: ‘Sir David and the filmmakers of A Life On Our Planet had always intended for the account to be a series of special messages over a limited period of time. 

‘Primarily, they wanted to use the platform to explain the current problems facing our natural world and the solutions to help us deal with them. 

‘While there won’t be any new posts going live, the account will remain open for people to watch Sir David’s videos and read the posts that have been shared since the account was created. 

‘Sir David and the filmmakers hope that their messages will inspire others to speak up for nature and take positive action towards creating a sustainable future.’

The presenter shared his reason behind creating his account was to seek new ways of reaching out to people as part of his famous fight against climate change.  

In a clip posted under his handle @davidattenborough, he said: ‘Hello my name is David Attenborough and I’ve been appearing on radio and television for the past 60 years but this is my first time on Instagram.

‘I’m making this move and exploring this new way of communication to me because, as we all know, the world is in trouble.

‘Continents are on fire, glaciers are melting, coral reefs are dying, fish are disappearing from our oceans, the list goes on and on.

‘But we know what to do about it, that’s why I’m tackling this new way for me of communication.

‘Over the next few weeks I’ll be recording messages to explain what the problems are and how we can deal with them. Join me or, as we used to say in those early days of radio, stay tuned.’