Sir David Attenborough receives death threats after saying ‘we could shoot’ Donald Trump

The President-elect's supporters have urged the FBI and Secret Service to investigate Sir David

Sir David Attenborough says he has hope for the environment (Getty)

Sir David Attenborough has become the subject of death threats and calls for an FBI and Secret Service investigation after he joked Donald Trump could be shot.

During an interview with the Radio Times before Mr Trump was elected, Mr Attenborough was asked how we could solve the problem of the billionaire becoming president.

"We could shoot him," he quipped. "It's not a bad idea," he added, before chuckling.

Since Mr Trump became President-elect of the US, his supporters have tweeted their own death threats about the nonagenarian broadcaster.

Others contacted the FBI and Secret Service on Twitter, urging them to investigate his comments for allegedly threatening to kill the country's leader.

The BBC declined to comment.

The FBI refused to comment and referred The Independent to the Secret Service, who are yet to respond to a request for comment.

Police have already arrested and detained a college professor who criticised Mr Trump online.

Sir David told The i newspaper he did not intend for anyone to take his comment seriously: "It was a jocular remark," he said.

Kevin Allred, who teaches Women's and Gender Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said officers detained him after deciding his comments on campus and on Twitter were dangerous.

He said he was forced to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before being released.