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TV presenter and comedian Bill Oddie dies
27th July, 2026 05:40 PM
TV presenter and comedian Bill Oddie has died at the age of 85, his agent has said.
Oddie became a household name in the 1970s as part of zany TV comedy trio The Goodies, before concentrating on his love of wildlife, as one of the original hosts of Springwatch and other shows about birdwatching.
In a statement, David Foster said: “It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Bill Oddie, the country’s best-loved birder.
“Bill was a multi-talented celebrity – wildlife presenter, broadcaster, comedian, writer, songwriter, musician and conservationist. Yet it was never fame that he valued. Instead he encouraged us to respect and protect the environment.”
Foster continued that Oddie “taught us the wonder of” the environment. “He protested, lobbied and campaigned for it.
“He led the way, and people of all ages and backgrounds responded to his call. And such a massive contribution to conservation will never be forgotten.
“As Bill’s agent, I witnessed close hand his intelligence and wit. He was my friend, and it was an honour and a privilege to represent him for so many years. I will miss him terribly.”
Paying tribute, Oddie’s former Springwatch co-host Kate Humble told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One: “No-one could tell a story like Bill.
No-one could make me laugh like Bill. No-one could enthuse anyone, whoever they were, to go outside and get excited about a robin.
“He just had that way of just making the natural world everybody’s world, and I think that’s what we all loved about him.”
Oddie had many other interests and talents, she said. “He was so interested in so many things. He wasn’t just the nerdy birder, or the funny, slightly irascible comedian, or the brilliant musician. He was all of those things. And he was always interested in everything.”
She added: “Sometimes he’d be fantastically grumpy and would be the last person I’d want to see first thing in the morning, and other times he would just be the best company in the world, and he talked very openly about his struggles with mental health.”
‘A renegade polymath’
Chris Packham, Oddie’s successor on Springwatch, wrote on social media: “Sadly we’ve not only lost a goodie, but we’ve also lost one of the besties.”
In his tribute, Packham said: “A renegade polymath with binoculars and a beard, Bill was invariably funny and occasionally furious.
He loved birds and loathed those who harmed them. He was delightfully unpredictable, sparky, smart and at times a bit spiky.
“Critically, he really knew his stuff, and his passion was true – he didn’t just pick up his binoculars on telly, he went birding whenever he could. So he was genuine, and that’s why we loved him.”
Oddie was born in Rochdale, near Manchester, and grew up in Birmingham before attending Cambridge University, where he was a member of the illustrious Footlights comedy troupe.
Before graduating, he was already writing for shows like satirical TV series That Was The Week That Was in the early 1960s.
He went on to write and appear on programmes including I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again, At Last the 1948 Show, Twice a Fortnight and Doctor in the House.
Often, he starred and wrote alongside other up-and-coming comedy names like Monty Python’s John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, and his fellow future Goodies – Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden.
The Goodies got their own series in 1970, and the trio’s slapstick comedy and madcap songs entertained millions of viewers for 12 years.
Oddie was “known as the hairy, cynical, anarchist member” of the group, the BFI said, and his contribution also included writing novelty songs like The Funky Gibbon and The Inbetweenies, which both reached the UK top 10.
