'Nature has lost one of its best friends'

Bill Oddie has died at the age of 85, his agent has said.

Oddie became a household name in the 1970s as part of comedy trio The Goodies, before becoming a wildlife presenter – one of the original hosts of BBC TV's Springwatch and other shows about birdwatching.

His agent 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.’

He also praised his ‘massive contribution to conservation’ adding: ‘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.’

Jo Rowland, chief executive of the RSPCA, said: ‘Nature has lost one of its best friends, fiercest champions and most iconic defenders. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the countless people he inspired to spend time birdwatching, to cherish nature, and to build a kinder world for animals.’

Born in Rochdale in 1941, Oddie read English at Cambridge, where he joined the Footlights alongside future collaborators John Cleese and Graeme Garden and wrote for shows such as satirical TV series That Was The Week That Was. 

He went on to write and appear on TV and radio programmes including I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again and Twice a Fortnight (with Garden, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Jonathan Lynn) before finding fame in the 1970s as one third of The Goodies, playing the ‘as the hairy, cynical, anarchist’ alongside Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor.

He was also open about his long struggle with depression and bipolar disorder, writing and speaking candidly about mental illness at a time when few public figures did so. After being dropped from the BBC’s Springwatch in 2009, he said he suffered ‘probably the worst 12 months of my life’.

Published: 27 Jul 2026