THE MULTI-TALENTED TV presenter, conservationist, actor, author and musician Bill Oddie has died at the the age of 85.
Having been born in Rochdale, Lancashire, Bill grew up in south Birmingham and it was there he found his love of wildlife.
He lived in Quinton and used to go bird-watching around Bartley Reservoir in Bartley Green. The reservoir also featured in his books, TV programmes and his first ever published article. It provided details about the birds of the reservoir and was for the West Midland Bird Club’s annual report.
By Bryan Ledgard from Yorkshire, UK – Bill Oddie, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50479797
Bill spoke about some of the challenges he faced during his childhood. These included his mum, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, spending time at Barnsley Hall Hospital in Bromsgrove.
Bill became hugely popular in the 1970s in comedy programme The Goodies.
But, wildlife was his true love, and he went on to host BBC TV’s Springwatch and other programmes about nature, including Bill Oddie Goes Wild and Bill Oddie’s Wild Side.
