Sir David Attenborough, the naturalist and former controller of BBC Two, has criticised the BBC for failing to broadcast enough arts and culture programmes, saying it must cater for all tastes even if they are not watched by millions.

Sir David, who helped introduce colour television to Britain and commissioned some of the BBC’s best-loved shows, said there are a “lot of gaps” in the corporation’s coverage now, thanks in part to too much focus on viewing figures.

“The cultural, the arts programmes,” he said, when asked what the public service broadcaster, paid for by the licence fee, was lacking.

“I don’t think the BBC does enough. It’s not enough simply to say, ‘Well, it doesn’t get a big enough audience.’

“If you’re a public service broadcaster, what you should be saying is, ‘We will show the broad spectrum of human interest.’

“People of all kinds should be catered for. You can measure success not necessarily by the maximum size of the audience, but by the maximum width of the spectrum, and see whether there aren’t any gaps in it and how you’re filling them.