British comedian and natural history presenter Bill Oddie has died at the age of 85. He passed away as one of the nation's most recognizable naturalists.
Born William Edgar Oddie on July 7, 1941, near Rochdale, Lancashire, he developed a passion for bird watching during childhood.
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While studying English at Pembroke College, he became a member of the Cambridge Footlights Club.
Oddie co-created the popular 1970s slapstick comedy show The Goodies alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden.
The trio's hit song Funky Gibbon reached number 4 in the UK charts. Four decades later, the track was re-released to raise funds for primate habitat preservation.
The Goodies aired on BBC Television for most of the decade before moving briefly to ITV.
The BBC never aired repeats of the series in the UK, a decision that created lasting friction among the performers.
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"It seems they've held that grudge ever since," said Graeme Garden.
Oddie's lifelong interest in ornithology led him to wildlife programming. He authored the 1980 bestseller Little Black Bird Book, offering a humorous take on birdwatching.
"Bird-watchers are tense, competitive, selfish, shifty, dishonest, distrusting, boorish, pedantic, unsentimental, arrogant and - above all, envious," he wrote.
He fronted major television projects for Channel 4 and the BBC, including The Great Bird Race, Birding with Bill Oddie, and Bill Oddie Goes Wild.
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In 2004, his show Britain Goes Wild drew record audiences for BBC Two, directly leading to the establishment of the hit series Springwatch and Autumnwatch.
