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William Edgar Oddie (born 7 July 1941) is an English writer, comedian, songwriter, musician, artist, birder, conservationist, television presenter and actor. He was a member of comedy trio

The Goodies The Goodies were a trio of British comedians: Tim Brooke-Taylor (17 July 1940–12 April 2020), Graeme Garden (b. 18 February 1943) and Bill Oddie (b. 7 July 1941). The trio created, wrote for and performed in their eponymous television comed ...

. A

birder Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

since his childhood in Quinton, Birmingham, Oddie has established a reputation as a naturalist, conservationist, and television presenter on

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...

issues. Some of his books are illustrated with his own paintings and drawings. His wildlife programmes for the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

include ''

Springwatch ''Springwatch'', ''Autumnwatch'' and ''Winterwatch'', sometimes known collectively as ''The Watches'', are annual BBC television series which chart the fortunes of British wildlife during the changing of the seasons in the United Kingdom. The p ...

'' and ''Autumnwatch'', '' How to Watch Wildlife'', ''Wild in Your Garden'', '' Birding with Bill Oddie'', ''

Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie ''Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie'' is a live BBC TV show, broadcast nightly, Monday – Thursday, from 31 May 2004 to 17 June 2004. Following on from the previous year's '' Wild in Your Garden'', presenters Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon ...

'' and ''

Bill Oddie Goes Wild ''Bill Oddie Goes Wild'' is a British television series about natural history, presented by Bill Oddie. Three series were made. Series 1 A six-part series on Fridays showing on BBC Two at 7:30 pm from 5 January 2001. Oddie visited six l ...

''.

Early life

Oddie was born in

Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...

, Lancashire, but moved to

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

at a young age; his father was assistant chief accountant at the Midlands Electricity Board. His mother was diagnosed with

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

and, during most of his youth, lived in a hospital. He was educated at Lapal Primary School, Halesowen Grammar School (now The Earls High School,

Halesowen Halesowen ( ) is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of West Midlands, England. Historically an exclave of Shropshire and, from 1844, in Worcestershire, the town is around from Birmingham city centre, and from ...

) and

King Edward's School, Birmingham King Edward's School (KES) is an independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the British Public school (UK), public school tradition, located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Founded by Edward VI of England, King Edward VI in 1552, it ...

, an all-boys

direct grant school A direct grant grammar school was a type of selective secondary school in the United Kingdom that existed between 1945 and 1976. One quarter of the places in these schools were directly funded by central government, while the remainder attracted ...

, where he captained the school's

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

team. He then studied

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

Pembroke College, Cambridge Pembroke College (officially "The Master, Fellows and Scholars of the College or Hall of Valence-Mary") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over 700 ...

Career

Comedy

While at Cambridge University Oddie appeared in several

Footlights Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University. History Footlights' inaugural ...

Club productions. One of these, a

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

called ''A Clump of Plinths'', was so successful at the

Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

that it was renamed '' Cambridge Circus'' and transferred to the West End in London, then New Zealand and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in September 1964. Meanwhile, still at Cambridge, Oddie wrote scripts for and appeared briefly in TV's ''

That Was the Week That Was ''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pre ...

''. He appeared in

Bernard Braden Bernard Chastey Braden (16 May 1916 – 2 February 1993) was a Canadian-born British actor and comedian, who is best known for his appearances in UK television and radio shows. Life Braden was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and educated ...

's television series ''On The Braden Beat'' in 1964. Subsequently he was a key member of the performers in the

...
radio series ''

I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again ''I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'' (often abbreviated as ''ISIRTA'') was a BBC radio comedy programme that originated from the 1964 Cambridge University Footlights revue, '' Cambridge Circus''. This is a scripted sketch show. It had a devote ...

'', where many of his musical compositions were featured. Some were released on the album ''Distinctly Oddie'' (Polydor, 1967). He was one of the first performers to parody a rock song, arranging the traditional

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

folk song " On Ilkla Moor Baht'at" in the style of

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

's hit rendition of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' "

With a Little Help from My Friends "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as Sgt. Pe ...

" (released on

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

Dandelion Records Dandelion Records was a British record label started on 18 July 1969 by the British DJ John Peel. History The label was started as a way to get the music Peel liked onto record. Peel was responsible for "artistic direction" and the commercial ...

in 1970 and featured in Peel's special box of most-treasured singles), and singing "

Andy Pandy ''Andy Pandy'' is a British children's television series that first appeared on BBC Television in summer 1950. Originally live, a series of 26 filmed programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series of 13 episodes was made. A revival of the s ...

" in the style of a brassy soul number such as

Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the ''Bill ...

Geno Washington Geno Washington (born William Francis Washington; December 1943, in Evansville, Indiana) is an American R&B singer who released five albums with The Ram Jam Band between 1966 and 1969, and eight solo albums beginning in 1976. Music career 19 ...

might perform. In many shows he would do short impressions of

Hughie Green Hugh Hughes Green (2 February 1920 – 3 May 1997) was an English radio and television presenter, game show host and actor. Early life Green was born in Marylebone, London, to a Scottish father, Hugh Aitchison Green, a former British Army offic ...

. On television Oddie was co-writer and performer in the comedy series ''

Twice a Fortnight ''Twice a Fortnight'' is a 1967 British sketch comedy television series with Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie, Jonathan Lynn and Tony Buffery. Graeme Garden suggested to the director, Tony Palmer, that Michael Palin and Terr ...

'' with

Graeme Garden David Graeme Garden OBE (born 18 February 1943) is a Scottish comedian, actor, author, artist and television presenter, best known as a member of The Goodies and a regular panellist on ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue''. Early life and education ...

Terry Jones Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh comedian, director, historian, actor, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy team. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones and ...

Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries. Palin w ...

and

Jonathan Lynn Jonathan Lynn (born 3 April 1943) is an English stage and film director, producer, writer, and actor. He is known for directing the comedy films such as ''Clue'', ''Nuns on the Run'', ''My Cousin Vinny'', and ''The Whole Nine Yards''. He also c ...

. Later he was co-writer and performer in the comedy series '' Broaden Your Mind'' with

Tim Brooke-Taylor Timothy Julian Brooke-Taylor OBE (17 July 194012 April 2020) was an English actor and comedian best known as a member of The Goodies. He became active in performing in comedy sketches while at the University of Cambridge and became president ...

and Graeme Garden, for which he became a cast member for the second series. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden then co-wrote and appeared in their television comedy series ''

'' (1970–1982). The Goodies also released records, including "Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me"/"The In-Betweenies", " The Funky Gibbon" (co-written by Oddie with

Dave MacRae David Scott MacRae (born 2 April 1940, Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealand keyboardist, noted for his contributions in jazz and jazz rock, and his collaborations with musicians from the Canterbury scene. Life and career MacRae studied at th ...

) and "Black Pudding Bertha", which were hit singles in 1974–75. They reformed, briefly, in 2005 for a successful 13-date tour of Australia. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden voiced characters on the 1983 animated children's programme ''

Bananaman Bananaman is a fictional character appearing in British comic books. Bananaman is a parody of traditional superheroes, being portrayed as a schoolboy who is transformed into a muscled, caped adult man when he eats a banana. The character origin ...

''. In the Amnesty International show '' A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick)'', Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden sang their hit song "Funky Gibbon". They also appeared on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'' with the song. Together with Garden (who is a qualified medical doctor), Oddie co-wrote many episodes of the television comedy series ''

Doctor in the House ''Doctor in the House'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box. The screenplay, by Nicholas Phipps, Richard Gordon and Ronald Wilkinson, is based on the 1952 novel by Gordon, and follows a group of st ...

'', including most of the first season and all of the second season. He has occasionally appeared on the BBC Radio 4 panel game ''

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' is a BBC radio comedy panel game. Billed as "the antidote to panel games", it consists of two teams of two comedians being given "silly things to do" by a chairman. The show was launched in April 1972 as a parody ...

'', on which Garden is and Brooke-Taylor was a regular panellist. In 1982 Garden and Oddie wrote, but did not perform in, a six-part science-fiction sitcom called ''

Astronauts An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...

'' for

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

. The show was set in an international

space station A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...

in the near future.

Natural history

Oddie's first published work was an article about the birdlife of Birmingham's

Bartley Reservoir Bartley Reservoir is a reservoir for drinking water in Birmingham, England, operated by Severn Trent Water.Environment Agency public register of Large Raised Reservoirs, as at 2 November 2020, via It covers . The reservoir is about long, over ...

in the West Midland Bird Club's 1962 Annual Report. (He is first credited in the 1956 report, in which reports of his bird observations are tagged with his initials "WEO"). He has since written a number of books about birds and birdwatching as well as articles for many specialist publications including '' British Birds'', ''Birdwatching Magazine'' and '' Birdwatch''. He discussed bird-song recordings with Derek Jones in an August 1973

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

programme called ''Sounds Natural''.''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...

'' entry for In the autumn of 1976 Oddie was involved in the successful identification of Britain's first-ever record of

Pallas's reed bunting Pallas's reed bunting (''Emberiza pallasi''), also known as Pallas's bunting, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. Taxonomy The bird family Emberizi ...

Fair Isle Fair Isle (; sco, Fair Isle; non, Friðarey; gd, Fara) is an island in Shetland, in northern Scotland. It lies about halfway between mainland Shetland and Orkney. It is known for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting. Th ...

, Shetland. One of Oddie's first forays into the world of television natural history was as a guest on '' Animal Magic'' in December 1977.''Radio Times'' entry for Another early natural-history radio appearance was in October, as the guest on Radio 4's ''Through My Window'', discussing the birds of

Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band o ...

.''Radio Times'' entry for On 30 July 1985 he was the subject of a 50-minute ''Nature Watch Special: Bill Oddie – Bird Watcher'', in which he was interviewed by

Julian Pettifer Julian Pettifer OBE (born 21 July 1935) is an English television journalist. He was president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and is vice president of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB. He was voted BAFTA 'Repor ...

at places where he had spent time birding, including Bartley Reservoir, the

Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve The Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. It is situated near Upton Warren, between Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire, England. The reserve is designated a Site of Special Sci ...

Upton Warren Upton Warren is a village and civil parish in the Wychavon district, in Worcestershire, England. The village is situated just off the A38 road between Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa, and on the River Salwarpe. In the 2001 census, the parish, whic ...

, RSPB Titchwell Marsh and

Blakeney Point Blakeney Point (designated as Blakeney National Nature Reserve) is a national nature reserve situated near to the villages of Blakeney, Morston and Cley next the Sea on the north coast of Norfolk, England. Its main feature is a 6.4 km (4& ...

. Oddie has since hosted a number of successful nature programmes for the BBC, many produced by Stephen Moss, including: *''The Great Bird Race'' (1983; Channel 4) *''The Great Kenyan Bird Safari'' (BBC) *''Favourite Walks'': "A Bird Walk" (1985; BBC; filmed on

) *''Worldwise'': "The Bird Business" (1985; Channel 4) *''Oddie in Paradise'' (1985; BBC) *''Wild Weekends'' (TV AM) *''Flight to Eilat'' (Channel 4) *''Bird in the Nest'' (two series, 1994 and 1995) *'' Birding with Bill Oddie'' (three series, 1997, 1998 and 2000) *''

'' (three series, 2001, 2002 and 2003) *'' Wild in Your Garden'' (2003) *'' Britain Goes Wild'' (2004) *''Bill Oddie in Tiger Country'' (2004) *'' Bill Oddie's How to Watch Wildlife'' (two series, 2005 and 2006; also on DVD) *''

Seven Natural Wonders ''Seven Natural Wonders'' is a television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, adv ...

'' (London edition) (2005) *''

The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs ''The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs'' is a two-part BBC documentary film, directed by Bill Oddie, in which a group of men test out dinosaur weapons, using studies. The first episode determines the winner of a battle between ''Tyrannosaurus'' and ...

'' (2005; also on DVD) *''

'' (2005–2008) *''

Autumnwatch ''Springwatch'', ''Autumnwatch'' and ''Winterwatch'', sometimes known collectively as ''The Watches'', are annual BBC television series which chart the fortunes of British wildlife during the changing of the seasons in the United Kingdom. The p ...

'' (2006–2008) *'' Bill Oddie Back in the USA'' (2007) *''Bill Oddie's Top Ten Birds'' (2007; BBC Four) *''100 Years of Wildlife'' (2007) *'' Bill Oddie's Wild Side'' (2008) *''

Bill Oddie's Top 10 Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...

'' (2008) The first broadcast, in 2004, of ''Britain Goes Wild'' set a record for its timeslot of 8 pm on

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

of 3.4 million viewers, one million more than the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

programme showing at that time. ''Britain Goes Wild'', renamed ''Springwatch'' the following year, became a wildlife broadcasting phenomenon, attracting over 4 million viewers. He became president of the West Midland Bird Club in 1999, having been vice-president since 1991, and is a former member of the council of the

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

. Oddie is also a President of the

League Against Cruel Sports The League Against Cruel Sports, formerly known as the League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports, is a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to stop blood sports such as fox hunting, hare and deer hunting; game bird shooting; and anim ...

and a vice-president of the

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) is a British community volunteering charity focused on environmental conservation through practical tasks undertaken by volunteers. Until 1 May 2012, it traded as BTCV – British Trust for Conservation Volunte ...

. He practised as a bird ringer but allowed his licence to lapse. In 2003, Oddie set up a

half-marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcut ...

to raise money for various wildlife charities in his birth town of

. Celebrities who have participated in the event include

Ray Mears Raymond Paul Mears (born 7 February 1964) is a British woodsman, instructor, businessman, author and TV presenter. His TV appearances cover bushcraft and survival techniques. He is best known for the TV series '' Ray Mears' Bushcraft'', '' Ra ...

Katherine Jenkins Katherine Maria Jenkins (born 29 June 1980) is a Welsh singer. She is a mezzo-soprano and performs operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre, and hymns.Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Hugh Christopher Edmund Fearnley-Whittingstall (born 14 January 1965) is an English celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer, and campaigner on food and environmental issues. Fearnley-Whittingstall hosted the ''River Cot ...

. In 2011, Oddie featured as an investigator in ''Snares Uncovered: killers in the countryside''. The film was an exposé of snaring in Scotland and was commissioned by animal protection charity

OneKind OneKind is a Advocacy group, campaigning animal welfare charity based in Edinburgh and operating in Scotland, UK and as part of the Eurogroup for Animals. OneKind exists to end cruelty to all animals and improve their lives. Background The org ...

. During the investigation Oddie discovered more than 70 snares and several stink pits.

Music

Oddie wrote original music at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

for the

and later wrote comic songs for ''

''. He also wrote a number of comic songs for

, most of which he also performed. In the 1960s and early 1970s Oddie released a number of singles and at least one album. One of the former, issued in 1970 on

label (Catalogue No: 4786), was "

On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at" (Standard English: ''On Ilkley Moor without a hat'') is a folk song from Yorkshire, England. It is sung in the Yorkshire dialect, and is considered the unofficial anthem of Yorkshire. According to Andrew Gant, the words ...

", performed in the style of

's "

With a Little Help from my Friends "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as Sgt. Pe ...

". The B-side, "Harry Krishna", featured the

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna may refer to: * International Society for Krishna Consciousness The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known Colloquialism, colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnav ...

chant, substituting the names of contemporary famous people called Harry, including

Harry Secombe Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...

Harry Worth Harry Bourlon Illingsworth (20 November 1917 – 20 July 1989), professionally known as Harry Worth, was an English comedy actor, comedian and ventriloquist. Worth portrayed a charming, gentle and genial character, totally bemused by life, ...

Harry Lauder Sir Henry Lauder (; 4 August 1870 – 26 February 1950)Russell, Dave"Lauder, Sir Henry (1870–1950)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online edition, January 2011, accessed 27 April 2014 was a S ...

and

Harry Corbett Harry Corbett OBE (28 January 1918 – 17 August 1989) was an English magician, puppeteer and television presenter. He was best known as the creator of the glove puppet character Sooty in 1952. Biography Corbett was born in Bradford, W ...

, as well as

pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...

s such as "Harry

urry Urry is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Chris Urry (born 1952), New Zealand Olympic sailor * Francis L. Urry, American actor *James Urry, New Zealand anthropologist *Sir John Urry (soldier) (died 1650), Scottish royalist soldi ...

along now" and "Harrystotle ristotle and ending with "Harry-ly reallymust go now". Both tracks appear on the compilation CD ''Life Too, Has Surface Noise: The Complete Dandelion Records Singles Collection 1969–1972'' (2007). In 1966 he was credited as the vocalist with

Spencer's Washboard Kings Spencer's may refer to: * Spencer's (department store), a defunct department store chain in British Columbia, Canada * Spencer's Gifts, a North American retail chain * Spencer Plaza in Chennai, India * Spencer's Retail Spencer's Retail is an I ...

on "

Five Feet Two 5 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 5, five or number 5 may also refer to: * AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era * 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era Literature * ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram * ''5'' (comics), an awar ...

" (Rayrick LCR1001a). The vocalist on the B-side of this 45rpm single, " If You Knew Susie", was Jean Hart, Oddie's future wife. He played the drums and saxophone and appeared as Cousin Kevin in a production of

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

's rock opera ''

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

'' at the

Rainbow Theatre The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as a cinema. It later became a music venue. Today, the building is used by the Universa ...

Finsbury Park Finsbury Park is a public park in the London neighbourhood of Harringay. It is in the area formerly covered by the historic parish of Hornsey, succeeded by the Municipal Borough of Hornsey. It was one of the first of the great London parks ...

, London, on 9 December 1972. He has also contributed vocals to a

Rick Wakeman Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboardist best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004, and for his solo albums released in the 1970s. Born and raised ...

album, ''

Criminal Record A criminal record, police record, or colloquially RAP sheet (Record of Arrests and Prosecutions) is a record of a person's criminal history. The information included in a criminal record and the existence of a criminal record varies between coun ...

''. He recorded a single, "Superspike", with

John Cleese John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...

and a group of UK athletes, billed the "Superspike Squad", to fund the latter's attendance at the

1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...

in Montreal. He co-produced the record with Stephen Shane. Oddie took part in the

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

production of the

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan, operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, whe ...

'', in which he appeared in the role of the Lord High Executioner, taking over the role from

Eric Idle Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadwa ...

. During the early 1990s Oddie was a DJ for London-based

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

radio station 102.2 Jazz FM. In 2007, Oddie appeared on the BBC series ''

Play It Again ''Play It Again'' is a documentary television series on BBC One, featuring celebrities trying to learn to play musical instruments. The series is produced by Diverse Production and started on 25 March 2007 and is narrated by Tamsin Greig. Epi ...

''. In the episode he attempts to realise his dream of becoming a rock guitarist. Initially teacher Bridget Mermikides tries to teach him using traditional methods but he rebels: instead he turns to old friends

Albert Lee Albert William Lee (born 21 December 1943) is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked, both in the studio and on tour, with many famous musicians from a wide range of genres. He has also mai ...

Dave Davies David Russell Gordon Davies (born 3 February 1947) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his elder brother Ray Davies. He was ind ...

(of

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...

) and

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...

for advice and strikes out on his own. He succeeds in the target of playing lead guitar for his daughter Rosie's band at her 21st birthday party and even manages to impress his erstwhile teacher. In November 2010 he agreed, along with fellow members of

, to rerelease their 1970s hit "The Funky Gibbon" to raise funds for the

International Primate Protection League The International Primate Protection League (IPPL) is a not-for-profit animal welfare organization founded in 1973 in Thailand by Shirley McGreal. IPPL's main focus is to promote the conservation and protection around the world of all non-huma ...

's Save the Gibbon appeal.

Other television and voice work

Oddie appeared as the hapless window cleaner in the

Eric Sykes Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...

' comedy story '' The Plank'' in 1967. He also presented the live children's Saturday morning entertainment show ''

Saturday Banana ''The Saturday Banana'' is a Saturday morning children's television show produced by Southern Television for ITV and presented by '' Goodies'' star Bill Oddie. Oddie also wrote and sang the theme tune. The series began on 8 July 1978, running ...

'' (

Southern Television Southern Television was the ITV broadcasting licence holder for the South and South-East of England from 30 August 1958 to 31 December 1981. The company was launched as 'Southern Television Limited' and the title 'Southern Television' was con ...

) during the late 1970s. In the late 1980s he was a presenter of the BBC TV show ''

Fax Fax (short for facsimile), sometimes called telecopying or telefax (the latter short for telefacsimile), is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material (both text and images), normally to a telephone number connected to a printer o ...

'' (a show about 'facts'). In 1981, he appeared as a

Telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause. Most telethons f ...

celebrity in New Zealand, hosted by TV1. He voices

Asterix ''Asterix'' or ''The Adventures of Asterix'' (french: Astérix or , "Asterix the Gaul") is a ''bande dessinée'' comic book series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, wi ...

in the UK dub of the 1989 animated film ''

Asterix and the Big Fight ''Asterix and the Big Fight'' is a French comic book, the seventh in the Asterix comic book series. It was written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. Its original French title is ''Le Combat des chefs'' ("The Battle of the Chief ...

'' (an animated adaptation of the books ''

'' and ''

Asterix and the Soothsayer ''Asterix and the Soothsayer'' (, "The Divine") is the nineteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in Pilote issues 652-673 in 1972. Plot summary ...

'', novelized as ''Operation Getafix''). In 1992, he was a guest star in the US comedy television series '' Married... with Children'' for a three-part episode set in England. In 1997–98, he appeared on the

archaeological programme ''

Time Team ''Time Team'' is a British television programme that originally aired on Channel 4 from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned online in 2022 for two episodes released on YouTube. Created by television producer Tim ...

'', as the team excavated a Roman villa site in

Turkdean Turkdean is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, approximately to the east of Gloucester. It lies in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. History Turkdean was recorded as ''Turcandene'' in the 8th century an ...

, Gloucestershire. He was the compère of a daytime BBC gameshow ''

History Hunt History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

'' (in 2003); and has appeared in the ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' audio drama ''

Doctor Who and the Pirates ''Doctor Who and the Pirates'', or ''The Lass That Lost a Sailor'', is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It is the first musical story in the series' histo ...

''. In 2004, he appeared on the first ever episode of the BBC series '' Who Do You Think You Are?'', in which he looked into his ancestry: he was visibly moved by its revelations. In 2005, he took part in ''

Rolf on Art ''Rolf on Art'' was a British art television series made by the BBC. It was hosted by Rolf Harris, the Australian television presenter. The series began in 2001, and the most recent episode was made in 2007. It was followed by Harris's other art p ...

– the big event at Trafalgar Square'' and in September that year was also a celebrity guest along with

Lynda Bellingham Lynda Bellingham, OBE ( ; 31 May 194819 October 2014) was an English actress, broadcaster and author. She acted in television series such as '' All Creatures Great and Small'', ''Doctor Who'', '' Second Thoughts'' and '' Faith in the Future''. Sh ...

on the

ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...

programme ''

Who Wants to be a Millionaire ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...

''. He also gave opinions on 100 greatest cartoons on Channel 4 that year, talking about ''

Tom and Jerry ''Tom and Jerry'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series c ...

'' and cartoon incidents such as the "Asses of Fire skit" in '' South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut''. In 2006, Oddie appeared in the BBC show ''

Never Mind the Buzzcocks ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' is a British comedy panel game show with a pop music theme. It has aired on Sky Max since September 2021, having originally aired between November 1996 and January 2015 on BBC Two. The original series was first hoste ...

'', and also appeared on the topical quiz show ''

8 out of 10 Cats ''8 Out of 10 Cats'' is a British comedy panel show broadcast on Channel 4 and its sister networks, airing since 3 June 2005. The show is hosted by Jimmy Carr; the current team captains are Rob Beckett and Katherine Ryan. The show is based on ...

''. He was also the voice behind many B&Q adverts throughout 2006/2007. On 25 May 2007, Oddie made a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...

Ronni Ancona Veronica "Ronni" Jane Ancona (born 4 July 1966)''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' is a British actress, comedian, impressionist and writer best known for '' The Big Impression'', which she co-wrote and starred in an ...

's new comedy

sketch show Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

, '' Ronni Ancona & Co''. Also in 2007, three artists each painted a portrait of Oddie, as part of the BBC programme ''

Star Portraits with Rolf Harris ''Star Portraits with Rolf Harris'' is a BBC television series that ran for three seasons from 2004-07. The show features three artists who each paint a picture of a celebrity, and then the celebrity gets to choose which paintings to keep. It was ...

''. One of the artists, Mark Roscoe, later revealed a dislike of Oddie, claiming to have included hidden insults in his work. He hosted the

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

-based series '' My Famous Family'', broadcast on

UKTV History Yesterday is a British free-to-air history-oriented television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It launched on 30 October 2002 as UK History and relaunched in its current format on 2 March 2009. It is available on satell ...

in 2007. In 2008, Oddie was a guest on

Jamie Oliver James Trevor Oliver MBE OSI (born 27 May 1975) is an English chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. He is known for his casual approach to cuisine, which has led him to front numerous television shows and open many restaurants. Oliver reache ...

's television special ''Jamie's Fowl Dinners'', talking about free-range chickens. He also appeared on '' Would I Lie To You?'' in 2011, where he revealed that he was saved from drowning by Freddy from popular children's series ''

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

'' and '' Rod, Jane and Freddy'' while on holiday in the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, V ...

In February 2015, Oddie appeared in ''

The Keith Lemon Sketch Show ''The Keith Lemon Sketch Show'' is a British television impressions/character sketch show that aired on ITV2 from 5 February 2015 until 10 March 2016. It stars Leigh Francis' character Keith Lemon portraying several celebrities. Episodes Ser ...

'' as the narrator of the sketch ''

Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...

Watch''. He appeared as a contestant on a celebrity edition of ''

Fifteen to One ''Fifteen to One'' is a British general knowledge quiz show broadcast on Channel 4. It originally ran from 11 January 1988 to 19 December 2003 and had a reputation for being one of the toughest quizzes on TV. Throughout the show's original run ...

'' in August 2015 and the following month he appeared on ''

Through the Keyhole ''Through the Keyhole'' is a British comedy panel game show created by the TV producer Kevin Sim and originally presented by Sir David Frost in the studio and Loyd Grossman on location. The location presenter goes around celebrities' houses and ...

''. He has appeared three times on the programme ''

Pointless Celebrities ''Pointless'' is a British television quiz show produced by Banijay subsidiary Remarkable Television for the BBC. It is hosted by Alexander Armstrong. In each episode four teams of two contestants attempt to find correct but obscure answers to ...

'', the most recent appearance being in 2016. In 2017, he appeared in three episodes of ''

The Real Marigold Hotel ''The Real Marigold Hotel'' (known in Australia as ''The Indian Dream Hotel'') is a British travel documentary series created by Twofour productions, directed by Aparna Sanyal and broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two. The show, whose name is based ...

''. In 2018, he featured on the programme ''The Two Ronnies: In Their Own Words''. In 2019, he appeared on the show '' The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited''. In 2020, he appeared in the documentary ''Celebrity Britain by Barge: Then & Now''.

2013 Australian tour

Oddie undertook an Australian tour during June 2013 in all of the mainland states capital cities –

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

and

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

– in a series of one-off shows, ''An Oldie but a Goodie''. A video message from Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden was shown during the performances. Oddie made personal appearances on both '' The Project'' and ''

Adam Hills Tonight ''Adam Hills Tonight'', formerly known as ''Adam Hills in Gordon Street Tonight'', is a comedic Australian television interview show that ran from February 2011 to July 2013 on ABC1. It was hosted by comedian Adam Hills and co-starred Hannah Gads ...

'' TV shows during the tour; he also filmed a guest-programming spot for the ABC-TV's all-night music video show '' Rage''.

Personal life

Family

In 1966 Oddie married Jeanne Hart, and from this marriage he has two daughters, one of whom is the actress

Kate Hardie Kate Hardie (born Kate Louise Oddie; 26 April 1968) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in '' The Krays'', ''Mona Lisa'' and the 2016 Channel 4 original series ''National Treasure''. Hardie's stage name is derived from those ...

. The couple later divorced. In 1983 Oddie married Laura Beaumont-Giles. The couple have worked on a variety of projects for children, including film scripts, drama and comedy series, puppet shows and books. They have a daughter, Rosie, born in October 1985, and live in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, North London. Rosie Oddie is a musician, also using the name Rosie Bones.

Mental health

Oddie has experienced depression for most of his life before being diagnosed with

clinical depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...

in 2001. In March 2009 he was reportedly admitted to Capio Nightingale

psychiatric hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also , ) is a district in the West End of London, in the City of Westminster. Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street, forms its southern boundary. An Civil parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish and latterly a ...

for treatment. His then agent, David Foster, said: "Bill gets these bouts every two or three years where he gets down for about two weeks and recovers. He sometimes goes into hospital or takes a break or has a change of scenery to recharge his batteries." In January 2010 Oddie spoke to the media, revealing that he had in fact had two separate stays in different hospitals, only being discharged "in time for Christmas". He said that he was dealing with depression and

bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with ...

, describing the period as "probably the worst 12 months of my life". Oddie stated that he was planning to meet BBC executives to discuss his return to television work. His illness meant that Oddie did not appear in the 2009 and 2010 series of ''Springwatch'', although he made a guest appearance in the penultimate episode of the latter. He subsequently said he was dismissed from ''Springwatch'' and that this had caused the depressive illness. Oddie presented the

Appeal programme on 10 August 2014 on behalf of the charity Bipolar UK. He revealed that as a consequence of his bipolar disorder he had attempted suicide during one of his depressive episodes. On the UK TV programme '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' he attributed his depression and bipolar disorder as an adult to his minimal and painful relationship with his mother.

Political views

Oddie supports the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

. In October 2014, on the BBC's '' Sunday Morning Live'', he stated that he wanted a limit on the number of children that British families can have, saying that he was "very often ashamed" to be British, calling them "a terrible race".

Honours

In 2002, Oddie became the third person to decline to appear on '' This Is Your Life'' but changed his mind a few hours later. On 16 October 2003 Oddie was made an OBE for his service to Wildlife Conservation in a ceremony at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. He wore a camouflage shirt and crumpled jacket to receive his medal. In June 2004 Oddie and

Johnny Morris Johnny or Johnnie Morris may refer to: * Johnnie Morris (actor) (1887–1969), American comedian and actor *Johnny Morris (television presenter) (1916–1999), British television presenter *Johnny Morris (footballer) (1923–2011), English football ...

were jointly profiled in the first of a three-part

series ''

The Way We Went Wild The Way We Went Wild is a three-part BBC television, TV series, first shown on BBC Two, about British wildlife television presenter, presenters. It was narrated by Josette Simon. Episode 1 Episode 1, screened on 13 June 2004, featured Johnny Mor ...

'', about television wildlife presenters. In May 2005 he received the British Naturalists' Association's Peter Scott Memorial Award, from BNA president

David Bellamy David James Bellamy (18 January 1933 – 11 December 2019) was an English botanist, television presenter, author and environmental campaigner. Early and personal life Bellamy was born in London to parents Winifred May (née Green) and Thoma ...

, "in recognition of his great contribution to our understanding of natural history and conservation." He is a recipient of the RSPB Medal. On 30 June 2009 he was proposed for inclusion in the

Birmingham Walk of Stars The Birmingham Walk of Stars is a walk of fame-style installation on the pedestrian pavement of Broad Street, Birmingham, England, which honours notable people from the Birmingham area or with significant connections with it. The scheme is orga ...

, with the public invited to vote.

Bibliography

(incomplete list) *''Bill Oddie Unplucked: Columns, Blogs and Musings'' (Bloomsbury, 2015) *''Bill Oddie's Introduction to Birdwatching'' (Subbuteo Books, 2002) *''Bill Oddie's Colouring Guide to Birds'' (Piccolo, 1991) *''Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book'' *''Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book'' (paperback with additional material) *''Bill Oddie's Gone Birding'' *''The Big Bird Race'' (with

David Tomlinson David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English stage, film, and television actor and comedian. Having been described as both a leading man and a character actor, he is primarily remembered for his roles as authorit ...

; Collins, 1983) *''Follow That Bird!'' *'' Gripping Yarns'' (Christopher Helm, 2000) *''Bird in the Nest'' *''Bill Oddie's How to Watch Wildlife'' *''One Flew into the Cuckoos Egg'' (Autobiography) Bill Oddie also co-wrote the Springwatch & Autumnwatch book with

Kate Humble Katherine Mary Humble (born 12 December 1968) is an English television presenter and narrator, mainly working for the BBC, specialising in wildlife and science programmes. Humble served as President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Bi ...

and Simon King. Co-written with the other members of

: *'' The Goodies File'' *''The Goodies Book of Criminal Records'' *''The Goodies Disaster Movie'' Co-written with Laura Beaumont: *''The Toilet Book (or 11 & ½ minutes a day and how not to waste them)'' ( Methuen, 1984, )

Contributions

*''Confessions of a Scilly Birdman'', David Hunt;

Croom Helm Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...

, 1985. (foreword and postscript) *''Birds in the Yorkshire Museum'', Michael Denton;

North Yorkshire County Council North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is the county council governing the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire; an area composing most of North Yorkshire in England. The council currently consists of 90 councillors. The council is current ...

, 1995. (foreword) *''Bird Brain of Britain'', Charles Gallimore & Tim Appleton;

Christopher Helm Christopher Alexander Roger Helm (born Dundee, 1 February 1937 – 20 January 2007) was a Scottish book publisher, notably of ornithology related titles, including the ''Helm Identification Guides''. Born in Dundee, he was raised in Forfar, w ...

, 2004. (foreword) *''Blokes and Birds'', Stephen Moss;

New Holland Publishers New Holland Publishers is an English-based international publisher of non-fiction books, founded in 1955. It is a privately held company, with offices in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. History The publishing firm was established ...

. (foreword) *''The New Birds of the West Midlands'', Graham and Janet Harrison ( West Midland Bird Club, 2005) (foreword)

Discography

Albums

Singles

In popular culture

In the fictional world of comedy character

Alan Partridge Alan Gordon Partridge is a comedy character portrayed by the English actor Steve Coogan. A parody of British television personalities, Partridge is a tactless and inept broadcaster with an inflated sense of celebrity. Since his debut in 1991, h ...

, Oddie is an unseen presence in Alan's life, buying him dressing gowns for Christmas and being part of a radicalised

. He has also been referenced, often humorously, by the hosts of ''

Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...

''.

References

Sources

* *

External links

* * * * *
Bill Oddie's family history at the BBC website for the programme ''Who Do You Think You Are?''Bill Oddie Goes Wild
– on BBC's Science and Nature website
In-depth interview, ''The Telegraph'', 28 April 2005Oddie on UKTV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oddie, Bill 1941 births Living people Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge British ornithologists English television presenters English male comedians English comedy writers English illustrators English nature writers English naturalists English male radio actors English radio writers English male television actors English television writers English television composers English male composers English tenors English male voice actors British male television writers Officers of the Order of the British Empire People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham Writers from Birmingham, West Midlands People from Rochdale People with bipolar disorder Royal Society for the Protection of Birds people Birdwatchers British bird artists Comedians from Birmingham, West Midlands Writers who illustrated their own writing English autobiographers 20th-century English comedians 21st-century English comedians Audiobook narrators