Bill Oddie, TV presenter and Goodies star, dies aged 85

Bill Oddie, the television presenter, comedian and wildlife campaigner, has died at the age of 85. The Rochdale-born star, who found fame with the comedy trio The Goodies before becoming a familiar face on nature programmes, died over the weekend.

Oddie met his Goodies partners at the University of Cambridge in the early 1960s. As one-third of the group, he became known in households across Britain in the 1970s. The show drew millions of viewers each week, and Oddie's songs were part of its appeal. In 1975, The Funky Gibbon reached number four in the charts.

After The Goodies parted ways in 1982, Oddie pursued his long-standing passion for wildlife. A keen birdwatcher before his comedy career took off, he went on to present series including Birding with Bill Oddie and Springwatch. A colleague recalled him as one of the most truly talented people they had come across, adding that he had a rare gift for bringing the natural world to life.

He used his profile to campaign for animals and conservation. He argued against the treatment of birds of prey such as golden eagles, harriers and kites as pest species, saying they are not pests even though some people believed they were. In 2003 he was made an OBE for services to wildlife conservation.

Oddie also spoke publicly about his mental health. He said he suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, and that the condition was in part to blame for his sudden departure from Springwatch in 2008. He described bipolar as a very serious subject that could, bizarrely, also put him in a terrific mood when on the up.

His surviving Goodies co-star, Graeme Garden, said there were so very many happy times to look back on and 'we can rejoice'. Oddie was remembered by those who knew him as sharp, funny and truly inspiring. He was 85.