Oddie died on Saturday, July 25, according to his longtime friend and agent, David Foster. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
The British television star became a household name as one-third of the comedy trio The Goodies, appearing alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden in the famously chaotic series of the same name.
The Goodies aired between 1970 and 1982, first on the BBC and later on ITV. Oddie co-wrote the show and played an exaggerated, fictionalized version of himself as the trio became known for their surreal humor, slapstick comedy and outrageous adventures.
The series attracted millions of viewers at its peak and developed an especially devoted following in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Oddie was also responsible for much of the group’s music. His songwriting helped The Goodies score several chart hits, including their best-known song, “The Funky Gibbon,” which climbed to No. 4 on the U.K. singles chart in 1975.
Born William Edgar Oddie in Rochdale, England, on July 7, 1941, he moved to Birmingham as a child and later studied English literature at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
While at Cambridge, Oddie became involved with the university’s celebrated Footlights comedy club. He performed alongside future Monty Python stars John Cleese and Graham Chapman before taking his talents to London’s West End and Broadway.
Oddie had originally considered becoming an English teacher or working at a bird observatory, but his early success in comedy sent his career in a very different direction.
Before The Goodies, he wrote for the groundbreaking satirical program That Was the Week That Was and appeared on the long-running radio comedy series I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again, where he frequently performed his own comic songs.
After establishing himself as one of Britain’s most recognizable comedians, Oddie transformed his lifelong passion for birds into a second successful television career.
He hosted several popular BBC wildlife programs, including Birding With Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie Goes Wild, Autumnwatch and Springwatch. His enthusiasm, humor and extensive knowledge helped make birdwatching and conservation accessible to a mainstream audience.
Oddie also wrote numerous books about birds and wildlife, including Bill Oddie’s Little Black Bird Book, Birdwatching With Bill Oddie and Follow That Bird.
Away from television, he became a determined environmental campaigner. He served on the council of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, became president of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and supported numerous conservation organizations.
Foster described Oddie as a gifted entertainer who cared far more about protecting nature than achieving fame.
“Bill was a multi-talented celebrity — wildlife presenter, broadcaster, comedian, writer, songwriter, musician and conservationist,” Foster said.
“Yet it was never fame that he valued. Instead he encouraged us to respect and protect the environment.”
Foster said Oddie taught viewers to appreciate the natural world while also protesting, lobbying and campaigning to defend it.
Naturalist and television presenter Chris Packham also paid tribute, remembering Oddie as funny, passionate and sometimes fiercely outspoken.
“Bill was invariably funny and occasionally furious,” Packham said. “He loved birds and loathed those who harmed them.”
Packham described him as “delightfully unpredictable, sparky, smart and at times a bit spiky,” before adding, “Sadly we’ve not only lost a goodie, we’ve lost one of the besties.”
Behind Oddie’s lively television personality were serious struggles with mental health.
He spoke openly about living with bipolar disorder and experiencing recurring periods of severe depression. His health problems sometimes forced him to step away from his television work, and he suffered a major depressive episode after leaving Springwatch.
Oddie was hospitalized for an extended period during that difficult chapter of his life.
In 2020, he revealed that he had also become seriously ill from lithium toxicity, a dangerous reaction connected to the medication used to manage his bipolar disorder. Oddie described the illness as “almost fatal” and said he had been sick for much of that summer.
Oddie married jazz musician Jean Hart in 1967. They had two daughters, actress Kate Hardie and Bonnie Oddie, before the couple divorced.
He married television presenter and writer Laura Beaumont in 1983. They had a daughter, Rosie, and also worked together on children’s books and screen projects.
Oddie is survived by Laura and his three daughters, Bonnie, Kate and Rosie.
Across more than six decades in the public eye, Oddie built an extraordinary career that stretched from anarchic comedy and chart music to birdwatching, broadcasting and environmental activism.
For many viewers, he will be remembered as the wild-haired comic behind The Goodies. For others, he will remain the enthusiastic birdwatcher who inspired generations to look more closely at the natural world around them.