Bill Oddie, comedian and wildlife presenter, dies at 85

Bill Oddie, the British comedian and wildlife presenter, has died at the age of 85, his agent confirmed on Monday. Oddie was best known as a member of the comedy trio The Goodies, alongside Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor, in the sketch show that aired from 1970 to 1982. The three met at Cambridge University and were part of the Footlights Club, where contemporaries included John Cleese and Eric Idle, later of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Oddie also wrote songs for The Goodies, several of which became UK chart hits, including The Funky Gibbon in 1975. After the show ended, he became a prominent wildlife presenter, notably on the BBC's Springwatch. He was a passionate birdwatcher and conservationist. In 2008, he was dropped from Springwatch and later spoke publicly about suffering from depression. His agent David Foster described him as a multitalented celebrity who valued environmental protection over fame, calling him "the country's best-loved birder." Oddie grew up in Birmingham.