Bill Oddie: The Goodies and Springwatch star dies at 85

Oddie was born in Rochdale, near Manchester, and grew up in Birmingham before attending Cambridge University, where he was a member of the illustrious Footlights comedy troupe.

Before graduating, he was already writing for shows like satirical TV series That Was The Week That Was in the early 1960s.

He went on to write and appear on programmes including I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again, At Last the 1948 Show, Twice a Fortnight and Doctor in The House.

Often, he starred and wrote alongside other up-and-coming comedy names like Monty Python’s John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, and his fellow future Goodies – Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden.

The Goodies got their own series in 1970, and the trio’s slapstick comedy and madcap songs entertained millions of viewers for 12 years.

Oddie was “known as the hairy, cynical, anarchist member” of the group, the BFI said, external, and his contribution also included writing novelty songs like The Funky Gibbon and The Inbetweenies, which both reached the UK top 10.

The Goodies also worked together in the 80s on sci-fi comedy Astronauts and children’s TV show Bananaman, and Oddie also appeared in popular kids’ shows Tickle on the Tum, From the Top and The Bubblegum Brigade.

He turned his attention to his other great love, wildlife and ornithology, in BBC series including Birding with Bill Oddie, Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie, and Bill Oddie’s How to Watch Wildlife.

He co-presented the first four series of the BBC’s annual Springwatch from 2005, as well as spin-off Autumnwatch.

But after being dropped in 2009, he said he suffered “probably the worst 12 months of my life” due to his struggle with depression and bipolar disorder.

Oddie was made an OBE in 2003 for services to wildlife conservation.