Sir David Attenborough has revealed that some viewers send him hate mail for not crediting God in his nature documentaries.

Speaking about his recent work on Charles Darwin and natural selection, the presenter told the Radio Times: "They tell me to burn in hell and good riddance."

Sir David explained that he is often asked why he does not credit the Lord, saying: "They always mean beautiful things like hummingbirds. I always reply by saying that I think of a little child in East Africa with a worm burrowing through his eyeball. The worm cannot live in any other way, except by burrowing through eyeballs.

"I find that hard to reconcile with the notion of a divine and benevolent creator."

The naturalist was recently credited for encouraging a group of Golden-eyed Treefrogs to mate during a visit to the ZSL London Zoo. The frogs had endured a three-year dry spell until Sir David's presence encouraged them to do the deed.