Requires a pacemaker: David Attenborough.
Veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has undergone surgery to insert a pacemaker.
A spokesman for the 87-year-old leading world naturalist, who was forced to cancel a speaking tour of Australia because of the ''urgent'' procedure, said doctors believed that the TV star was doing well.
''Sir David has now had the operation and his doctors are satisfied with his progress,'' he said.
News of the procedure came Tuesday afternoon, as it was announced his sell-out tour, which was due to start in Brisbane next week, had been cancelled.
The 87-year-old documentary-maker was set to undergo surgery in London.
Earlier, The tour organiser released a statement saying Sir David, who has been named Britain's greatest living national treasure, was still his ''lively self''.
''It's a minor procedure but it meant that he cannot go on a 27-hour flight to Australia,'' he said.
"He’s very disappointed that he can’t fulfil the tour but it’s nothing to be alarmed about.
"He was very much looking forward to coming back to Australia and he hopes to reschedule his tour in the near future.’’
Lateral Events CEO Simon Baggs said a potential rescheduling his live show, Sir David Attenborough – A Life on Earth, would be discussed with Sir David once he recovers from surgery.
In the meantime, ticket holders would be refunded.
Attenborough was scheduled to take the stage at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) next Tuesday night, before heading to Canberra and Perth later in the week.
His sell-out shows were then set to continue in Adelaide on June 18, at the State Theatre in Sydney on June 19 and 20, and then at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on June 21 and 22.
In an exclusive interview with Fairfax Media earlier this year, Sir David said his Australian tour of the live event, Sir David Attenborough – A Life on Earth, would be used to discuss his six decade career in nature filmmaking, not to speak out on environmental issues.
''I'm not on a proselytising tour. On occasions I speak on these issues where it's appropriate and where the subject has come up,'' he said.