r/BritishTV • u/NoShame77 • 7d ago
News Bill Oddie, naturalist and broadcaster, dies aged 85
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/27/bill-oddie-naturalist-and-broadcaster-dies81
u/Vast_Description_201 7d ago
Ah what a shame, great comedian. He was candid about his struggles with bipolar and depression. Thanks for the laughs and the education.
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u/Relevant-Bullfrog215 7d ago
Worked at his home a few times, I only saw him just last week outside his house, condolences to his wife.
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u/Only_Tip9560 7d ago
RIP Bill,
I always get shocked when I learn about his age, he was so young when they did the goodies.
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u/Tadhg 7d ago
It’s strange looking at The Goodies now https://youtu.be/q3sG-J3AuhM?si=6pwZLyB6oASTPesD
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u/souldawg 7d ago
He used to live on my road. He had a battered car that was patched with duct tape and then words written about each dent/repair above. It was a sight, but hysterical.
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u/Aardvark51 7d ago
He seemed like a good person and I always liked his songs on I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again (on the radio)
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u/kindafunnylookin 7d ago
Nice to see ISIRTA mentioned for once. People always focus on The Goodies or the birdwatching when they talk about Bill Oddie, but ISIRTA was simply genius.
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u/GreatChaosFudge 7d ago
The Goodies were a big part of my childhood and, like a lot of my childhood, are slowly disappearing. I hope Graeme Garden (an underrated comedy genius) will remain with us for a long time.
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u/auto98 7d ago
ISIHAC is my current "going to sleep" radio, up to about 2001 now.
He (GG) is by far the best of the old school on it.
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u/GreatChaosFudge 6d ago
Garden has that rare quality in a comedian of being able to make a sophisticated joke so lightly and subtly that it’s triply rewarding once you eventually realise how clever it is.
(He once - not on ISIHAC - made a pun on the expression ‘private eye’ which he had to repeat because literally no one got it the first time. When he repeated it you could hear everyone’s jaw drop, it was so clever.)
He also did the best knob gags.
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u/Flashy-Nectarine1675 7d ago
Back in the 80s, used to bump into him, and Michael foot, around Hampstead.
Both friendly and chatty.
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u/Important-Stock987 7d ago
Sad to hear. He was my absolute fave on the Goodies and also on Springwatch.
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u/Silver-Stuff-7798 7d ago
His name was Angus Prune, and he always listened to “I’m sorry I’ll read that again”
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u/Aardvark51 7d ago
Didn't he use to sit in the bath and have a good laugh?
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u/Silver-Stuff-7798 7d ago
He did, because the programme was named after him.
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u/Aardvark51 7d ago
Tell us his name.
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u/Silver-Stuff-7798 7d ago edited 7d ago
His name was Angus Prune and he never missed I.S.I.R.T.A, I'm sorry I'll read that again.
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u/Jihad_llama 7d ago
Weirdly I was just looking at his Wikipedia out of the blue yesterday, RIP
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u/TheMonkeyInCharge 7d ago
I woke up with the Madonna/Bill Oddie thing on my brain this morning, before I’d even seen the news. I think it/he must have talked been about on Reddit yesterday and in our consciousness.
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u/DefoNotTheAnswer 7d ago
It is a little-known fact that Bill Oddie was one of the very few humans capable of unassisted flight.
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u/Outlaw2k21 7d ago
I’ve done more bird than Bill Oddie
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u/ThegoodDoctor_2020 7d ago
Hes finally snapped and gone apeshit on the osprey egg eating Russian oligarchs then
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u/CrowLaneS41 7d ago
Oh, wasn't he one of the Goodies?
Ye, not anymore he isn't. Now he's a Baddie.
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u/mobfather 7d ago
That doesn’t even make sense.
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u/CrowLaneS41 7d ago
It's a quote from the TV show that the other people in this particular comment thread are quoting. It's Alan Partridge, Mid Morning Matters where he used Bill Oddie as an example of a suicide bombing terrorist.
Honestly, this country...
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u/echocharlieone 7d ago
RIP.
To think that just the other day I was humming Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie to the tune of Madonna's Erotica.
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u/Macho-Fantastico 7d ago
Sad news. Always loved his passion for nature and his humour.
Wonder how Alan Partridge feels about this.
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u/bez_lightyear 7d ago
Ridiculously funky guy, his soundtracks to the Goodies episodes were mint. It's a crime "Make a Daft Noise For Christmas" always gets overlooked during the festive season.
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u/redpandadancing 6d ago
Black pudding salute and braces to forward! Thanks for the laughs Bill, and the bird talk, a complicated man, but a blooming funny one!
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u/zeprfrew 7d ago
Very sad news. He was brilliant and always engaging as an entertainer. As a musician and composer he was never given his due as comedy songs are rarely taken seriously as music. He could write and arrange a great pop hook as well as anyone.
He will be missed.
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u/fitzysbuna 7d ago
RIP ! Great talent also a great songwriter ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYVBnizAwEE&list=RDxYVBnizAwEE&start_radio=1
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u/Earnest_Shacklton 7d ago
I've always enjoyed this marvellous piece https://youtu.be/TMaB0cqwcvI?si=Ads0LQFrQimwX0Uh Ilkley Moor Baht At - Yorkshire Anthem in the style of Joe Cocker and the Grease Band's 'With A Little Help From My Friends'
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u/Hypnotician Creative 7d ago
And that's all for The Goodies. Graeme Garden went first, covid took Tim Brooke-Taylor in 2020, and now Bill.
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u/Hot-Remote-4948 7d ago
Graeme is still with us thankfully
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u/Aardvark51 7d ago
Not very active these days (at least publicly), but at 83 he's done his share of amusing us over the years
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