Good Morning Britain presenters Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway paid tribute to Bill Oddie on Tuesday, July 28, following the news of his death at age 85. The comedian and wildlife presenter, known for The Goodies and Springwatch, was remembered as a trailblazer.
Tributes from GMB and colleagues
Entertainment correspondent Rishi Davda joined the hosts in the studio to share tributes. He called Oddie a "trailblazer in British comedy before inspiring millions to connect with the natural world." Davda noted Oddie's fame in the 1970s as a member of The Goodies and his later career as a broadcaster.
Oddie's agent, David Foster, announced his death in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of Bill Oddie, the country's best-loved birder. Bill was a multi-talented celebrity – wildlife presenter, broadcaster, comedian, writer, songwriter, musician and conservationist. Yet it was never fame that he valued. Instead he encouraged us to respect and protect the environment." Foster added that Oddie "taught us the wonder of" the environment and campaigned for it, calling his contribution to conservation "massive." He concluded: "I will miss him terribly."
Chris Packham's tribute
Chris Packham, Oddie's successor on Springwatch, shared a tribute on social media: "Sadly we've not only lost a goodie, we've lost one of the besties." He described Oddie as "a renegade polymath with binoculars and a beard, Bill was invariably funny and occasionally furious. He loved birds and loathed those who harmed them. He was delightfully unpredictable, sparky, smart and at times a bit spiky. Critically he really knew his stuff, and his passion was true - he didn't just pick up his binoculars on telly, he went birding whenever he could. So he was genuine and that's why we loved him."
After reading out tributes, Rishi Davda remarked: "It's clear to see that his impact extended far beyond the laughs that people got." Richard Madeley echoed Packham, saying: "He was spiky! When you knew you were interviewing Bill Oddie you had to put your boxing gloves on." Kate Garraway added: "You couldn't say the wrong thing to him."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
