Bill Oddie, the writer, comedian and conservationist who found fame with comedy group The Goodies before becoming one of Britain's best-known wildlife broadcasters, has died aged 85. He later presented BBC series including Springwatch and Autumnwatch, using the platform to campaign for conservation and environmental protection, work his agent, David Foster, said would "never be forgotten", adding that fame was never what Oddie valued.

Born in Rochdale and raised in Birmingham, Oddie met future Goodies co-stars Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden at Cambridge University; the trio's sketch show ran from 1970 to 1980, with a revival in 1981-82, and produced comic songs such as The Funky Gibbon. An avid birder, he moved into natural history broadcasting from the 1970s onwards and wrote several books on conservation, later saying he still missed Springwatch after his time on the show was cut short. He had long struggled with depression and bipolar disorder, and in 2020 disclosed he had suffered near-fatal lithium toxicity. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and his daughters Bonnie, Kate and Rosie, who have asked for privacy.