Bill Oddie: Comedian who found nature a welcome refuge from mental illness
British comedian and naturalist Bill Oddie has passed away at the age of 85. Known for his work with the comedy group The Goodies and his later career as a nature presenter, Oddie also struggled publicly with mental health issues.
Why it matters
Oddie was a significant figure in British cultural history, bridging the gap between anarchic 1970s comedy and popular nature broadcasting.
Image source, Getty Images By Sam Woodhouse Published 38 minutes ago Bill Oddie, who has died at the age of 85, was one of Britain's best known comedians and naturalists.
A product of the Cambridge Footlights, the cradle of so much post-war British comedy, he shot to fame in the 1970s as a member of the anarchic Goodies.
Bird watching was a lifelong passion and he moved into presenting nature programmes, including the BBC's Springwatch.
But his life was plagued by bouts of acute depression which caused repeated admissions to psychiatric hospitals - where Oddie suffered from severe lithium poisoning as a result of his treatment.
Image caption, A beardless Bill Oddie (R) with the cast of I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again in 1965
TV presenter and comedian Bill Oddie dies at 85
Published 8 minutes ago William Edgar Oddie was born near Rochdale, Lancashire on 7 July 1941.
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