Bill Oddie di3s aged 85: beloved wildlife presenter and comedian remembered for The Goodies and Springwatch
Bill Oddie, Britain’s best-loved wildlife presenter, comedian and conservationist, has died aged 85. He first rose to fame as part of the comedy trio The Goodies alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden, writing and performing on numerous television shows including “That Was The Week That Was” and “I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again,” where his comedic songs became iconic, most notably “The Funky Gibbon.”
Bill Oddie – Britain’s best loved birder – has died at the age of 85
Bill, pictured right in 1973, first found fame with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden as part of The Goodies
Bill Oddie and his wife, Laura in the garden of their Hampstead home. He had three daughters – two from his first marriage and a third from his marriage to Laura
Bill with Springwatch and Autumnwatch co-star Kate Humble. Mr Oddie rarely watched the programme due to the grief of being dropped from the BBC show in 2009
Oddie later turned his focus to wildlife television, becoming a household name through series such as Springwatch, Autumnwatch, Birding with Bill Oddie, and Bill Oddie Goes Wild. His gravelly yet gentle Brummie accent and passion for nature inspired generations to engage with the environment. He also served as a council member of the RSPB, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and The Worldwide Fund for Nature, and as president of The Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
Throughout his life, Oddie was open about his struggles with mental health, including depression and bipolar disorder. He was admitted to psychiatric care in 2009 after being dropped from Springwatch, and in 2020 he suffered lithium poisoning which he described as “almost fatal.” Despite these challenges, he remained an advocate for mental health awareness and emphasized the benefits of connecting with nature.
Bill Oddie pictured in his ‘Man of the Year’ portrait in 1964
The Goodies pictured together in 1981
Mr Oddie’s breakthrough came in comedy but he moved into wildlife TV, he’s great passion
Mr Oddie said in 2020 he was ‘knocking on Heaven’s door’ for almost a year after getting lithium poisoning
Born in Rochdale and raised in Birmingham, Oddie was a passionate birdwatcher from childhood. He married Jeanne Hart in 1966, with whom he had two daughters, Bonnie and Kate. They later divorced, and in 1983 he married Laura Beaumont-Giles, with whom he had a daughter, Rosie.
Oddie continued to combine his entertainment and wildlife passions, campaigning for environmental protection and public awareness of conservation issues, while educating audiences about the importance of engaging with the natural world. He encouraged people to step away from devices and enjoy simple pleasures like birdsong, urging the public to “go naked” occasionally to truly experience nature.
His comic career began in Cambridge Footlights, when he started writing for shows including That Was The Week That Was
Despite declining hearing and eyesight in later life, Oddie’s intelligence, wit, and commitment to conservation never waned. His agent described him as “multi-talented,” noting that Oddie valued environmental education over fame, and praised his “massive contribution to conservation” which will never be forgotten.
Oddie leaves behind a lasting legacy as a pioneer of wildlife broadcasting, an influential comedian, and a champion of mental health and environmental advocacy. He is survived by his wife Laura and daughters Bonnie, Kate, and Rosie, and will be remembered fondly by audiences, colleagues, and the wildlife community alike.