Bill Oddie

[ron1863]

I have been a bit of an Oddie basher recently, mainly because I can't stand him constantly interrupting, mumbling and especially the reptilian licking of his moustache whenever Kate Humble is speaking.
Having watched "Bill Oddie Goes Wild", which I enjoyed and in which he was excellent and informative, probably because he didn't have anyone to interrupt. I searched the net for some info on him and found this link, which possibly explains his character and personality.

'I couldn't move. I was catatonic' | | Guardian Unlimited Arts

[vole-woman]

That's really sad, but even so, he isn't sorry for himself at all.

I know his personality isn't everyone's cup of tea, but we're really fond of him in this house. And I can't think of anyone who does more to encourage younger children to love wildlife, which is a terrific job to do.

[cherrybee]

Thankyou for that it was very interesting and informative.I admire him all the more for what he does with what he has had to cope with in his life.Being a person with depression myself I can relate to a lot of that.More people should read it as it gives a great insite into his charactor

[goosey]

What a sad and humbling story - you would never guess to see the chirpy chappie - you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
The journalist mentioned his house and the eclectic colours and collections etc. I remember seeing him interviewed in his garden once - I cant remember what they were even talking about but there were all weird and wonderful things hanging from trees along with CD's, beads and wind chimes - it was totally enchanting. Fascinating guy .

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I remember watching him on the series "Who do you think you are" on the BBC, which traced his family tree. All very sad and his family life must have been traumatic to say the least.
However he still annoys me and I think there are better people to do the job on the live programmes such as The Watches. I don't mind him on the pre-recorded programmes. He may appeal to children because he makes it funny, but I don't think wildlife is funny, it's serious. Cute maybe, but serious.
Just my opinion.

BWD

[greenie]

Inspiring! I agree with what he says about nature being theraputic....I worked in conservation for that very reason. Working with animals has helped me get through some rough patches!

greenie

[Stewy]

To be fair I think he's been alright this series, i'm sure all the emails they probably recieved have had something to do with it.

[naturelover]

i dont see why he annoys you all he seens a nice friendly sort of guy,i read ( i couldnt move ),very sad and he hides it very well.

[ron1863]

Originally Posted by naturelover

i dont see why he annoys you all he seens a nice friendly sort of guy,i read ( i couldnt move ),very sad and he hides it very well.

Hi Naturelover,

Bill only annoys me on "live" TV where he can't seem to stop himself either butting in, making noises or licking that moustache when others are people are talking, which I consider rude and spoils my viewing.
On his own with a script he is fine and informative and I particularly enjoy "Bill Oddie Goes Wild", in which he is really good. He has had his problems but then who hasn't, and it isn't an excuse for rudeness.

[SweetRocket]

Bill can be annoying when he interrupts Kate but all she has to do is speak loudly over him, its his personality and he is not going to change, too late for that!
I’ve watched him over the years being interviewed on TV or appearing in a quiz show and yes he does come over as a grumpy old man, but not when he is on TV doing what he loves most, talking wildlife and nature.
I personally know people who have been saved by turning their lives over to wildlife, the environment and nature projects; consequently I have a great respect for Bill Oddie. Bill has been involved in wildlife for a long, long time and deserves, more than some, to be given the job of presenting wildlife programmes on TV, after all he is well educated on the subject through a lifetime of studying it out in the field!

[Jez]

I think Bill & Kate are both nicely Bonkers there forever laughing around together and have a great rapport with each other. The other side is they are both knowledgeable and passionate for wildlife and are credit for presenting both Spring & Autumn-watch. As i have been in and out of psychiatric hospital myself I know just how hard it is to live with depression, I could spend 30 minutes with my head in the cupboards getting a plate out. So to have Cameras pointing at you and going out Live when you suffering with this Debilitating condition one has to take an anti depression tablet & give Mr. Bill Oddie a "big up"!!!

[demicav]

That was a very interesting read, thank you. It's nice to see he's normal like the rest of us, has his problems like the rest of us not that I'm saying it's nice to have problems of course, oh no I'm begining to waffle .

[Dan Salter]

I have been very aware of bills depression past and life story for a long time after watching a documentary on him tracing his family tree....even so he STILL irritates me on AW...or SW...but.....i can watch him on Bill Oddie goes wild....or even the AW film segments....basically anything when his childish antics and tongue licking has and can be edited out before going to the screen...also hes better when scripted rather than live free for all.

I have suffered depression and had the therapy/ drugs/ counciling the lot...its a sad illness but.....it is no excuse for acting the idiot all the time?

I just think he is stuck in the "goodies" mode and i wish he would just be Bill Oddie...bird watcher/ naturalist/ presenter....

If Kate starts doing the tongue sticking out...lick lipping every 30 seconds though i dont mind

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

I remember watching him on the series "Who do you think you are" on the BBC, which traced his family tree. All very sad and his family life must have been traumatic to say the least.
However he still annoys me and I think there are better people to do the job on the live programmes such as The Watches. I don't mind him on the pre-recorded programmes. He may appeal to children because he makes it funny, but I don't think wildlife is funny, it's serious. Cute maybe, but serious.
Just my opinion.

BWD

Yes, I saw that, was very sad. I personally quite like him. He has quite good music taste too.
Saw him once at something or other, he's very short!

[vole-woman]

I still say he's pretty much the only presenter - or the best one, at any rate - for bringing relcutant children to wildlife. Lots of kids think environmental stuff is seriously uncool, but stick Bill Oddie on and you've immediately got child-appeal. And I'm speaking as a mum of young boys, and I'm also an ex-teacher.

I went to a talk last night on local fens and mosses (very good it was, too) but almost every head in the room was grey. I'm not for one minute dissing the older generations, but it did underline to me how vital it is we bring in new blood to wildlife groups. Serious adults, those already converted to the joys of Nature, have their nature programmes, but Autumn/Springwatch is the one that lights up the interest of our up-and-coming environmentalists. In a sense, that's the most important job any wildlife-lover can do! If we fail to address that task, we're all in trouble.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

I still say he's pretty much the only presenter - or the best one, at any rate - for bringing relcutant children to wildlife. Lots of kids think environmental stuff is seriously uncool, but stick Bill Oddie on and you've immediately got child-appeal. And I'm speaking as a mum of young boys, and I'm also an ex-teacher.

I went to a talk last night on local fens and mosses (very good it was, too) but almost every head in the room was grey. I'm not for one minute dissing the older generations, but it did underline to me how vital it is we bring in new blood to wildlife groups. Serious adults, those already converted to the joys of Nature, have their nature programmes, but Autumn/Springwatch is the one that lights up the interest of our up-and-coming environmentalists. In a sense, that's the most important job any wildlife-lover can do! If we fail to address that task, we're all in trouble.

I agree with you that we do need to get younger people into conservation and nature. I think as a replacement Rory Mcgrath would be a better person to do the job instead of Bill.

BWD

[DaiTheDragon]

Bill Oddie is who he is, you either like him or hate him, whats important to me is that he knows his stuff. Quite a few people have addmitted to suffer or have suffered from deppresion on here but for those who don't know musc about it let me explain something.
What Bill is probaly doing is trying to cover up his insecurity by rambling on, I know because I do the same. Doing a recorded program and a live program are very differant situations, I couldn't do a live program even if I too half a dozen Diazipam.
So instead of slating him off give the bloke a chance.
Off track a bit, I wonder how many people on here suffer from deppresion and wildlife is their medicine.

Dai

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

I still say he's pretty much the only presenter - or the best one, at any rate - for bringing relcutant children to wildlife. Lots of kids think environmental stuff is seriously uncool, but stick Bill Oddie on and you've immediately got child-appeal. And I'm speaking as a mum of young boys, and I'm also an ex-teacher.

I went to a talk last night on local fens and mosses (very good it was, too) but almost every head in the room was grey. I'm not for one minute dissing the older generations, but it did underline to me how vital it is we bring in new blood to wildlife groups. Serious adults, those already converted to the joys of Nature, have their nature programmes, but Autumn/Springwatch is the one that lights up the interest of our up-and-coming environmentalists. In a sense, that's the most important job any wildlife-lover can do! If we fail to address that task, we're all in trouble.

You know what Vole-Woman. I think you're right.
I am down (on record!) on WAB as being infuriated by him, but I do think (with a little more thought on the subject) that he probably DOES appeal to the next generations, and as you so quite rightly say - that is so very, very important.
I can nit pick all I want (he looks like he may do that himself) about his mistakes - calling a (Garden) Cross spider last night for example, a spider that "probably doesn't build webs - a hunter" (quote), and the list goes on and on, but I'm hooked on wildlife already, so what I say regarding mr.Oddie (and many other things I know!) means not a jot.
You're right about many school children thinking wildlife, biology and science in general is "uncool", (my girlfriend teaches biology at a local secondary school and is trying to battle that trend), so even though he annoys me, and will contine to annoy me (and many, many others), I guess I have to give him a lot of credit for inspiring a younger generation.

Possibly other presenters could do the same without annoying so many people, maybe not. It does seem like he certainly does appeal to youngsters, and I reluctantly admit, thats the main thing really, as far as Autumn watch is concerned...

Doug

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by DaiTheDragon

So instead of slating him off give the bloke a chance.

I think he's had a chance. Four series of spring watch and two of Autumnwatch is quite a big chance and I still don't like him on live TV, (see my post Yesterday 11:35 AM).
As always we are never going to agree on everything. I just think there are better people to do the job

BWD

[PMG]

Rory McGrath is a smashing personality to watch but I've no idea whether he knows anything about wildlife?

You know I think its time we put this subject to bed.......... Bill may not be everyones cup of tea - I'm not defending him - I find folks little habits tics and twitches extremely annoying but I try not to let it show cos I feel somehow the problem lies with me that I let it annoy me - if you see where I'm going!

And ok so he got the spider wrong (cos he's a birder primarily rather than a naturalist)(and has anyone on here never made a blunder out loud for all to hear at least once in their lifeand does it make us better people - just cos we knew it was a garden spider?) But he knows his stuff and Ive been saying it for weeks - he appeals to kids - I refer back to the antlers antics and rope - I bet none of us will pass a bit of discarded rope somewhere for years to come and not move it - and shame on us if we leave it (don't 'tidy' it if its attached to a farm gate tho!).

Will keep complaining about him till his bosses perhaps agree and move him off air do any good? It wouldn't suit me to know someone had lost their job just cos I didn't like their personality - you can't say he's not doing his job properly cos he obviously is - unless the audience for AW and SW are all fellas panting after Kate Humble (and quite honestly I could take issue with that...)

I've had depression too but fortunately had counselling, homoeopathy and good friends and avoided drugs and hospitals up to now. I used to give wildlife slide shows and thoroughly enjoyed standing up and talking to and involving the audience........ since my father died just over two years ago I have lost my condifidence and have disappeared off the lecture circuit. I'm told this is a 'normal' kind of reaction to a bereavement that hurts particularly badly and that eventually I will regain my composure and will return to my former capabilities. I can empathise with depression and I applaud anyone who fights it. I remember how nervous I used to get the last couple of hours before driving to the venue and giving the show and that was only to a room full of folk - imagine what its like when they are counting you down to a live performance in front of millions.........

Most folk who become engrossed in a subject are eccentric to some degree - nerdy some might say if the subject doesn't appeal - and I wouldn't mind betting that many of us on here are not 'run of the mill' folk either. And what is the opposite option - BBC voices, smartly dressed folk, sitting still, not waving their arms about, touching their hair, lip licking etc - be a bit boring don't you think?

Long may Bill and Kate present SW and AW I say.........

Pauline

[MalcolmX]

unfortunately being on tv is only about personality and if a presenter upsets audiences then ratings drop and a change occurs .i think bill is an irritant and a super opinionated ego but if the majority want him there then he will stay ,i watch the prog and i have to ignore him ,if the programme did not have such an appeal for me (and most of us on this site ) then i suspect the show would not continue ,as it is i suspect it survives on the internal show strength and not on his peronality

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by PMG

Rory McGrath is a smashing personality to watch but I've no idea whether he knows anything about wildlife?

You know I think its time we put this subject to bed.......... Bill may not be everyones cup of tea - I'm not defending him - I find folks little habits tics and twitches extremely annoying but I try not to let it show cos I feel somehow the problem lies with me that I let it annoy me - if you see where I'm going! ...

...And ok so he got the spider wrong (cos he's a birder primarily rather than a naturalist)(and has anyone on here never made a blunder out loud for all to hear at least once in their lifeand does it make us better people - just cos we knew it was a garden spider?) But he knows his stuff and Ive been saying it for weeks - he appeals to kids -...

...Most folk who become engrossed in a subject are eccentric to some degree - nerdy some might say if the subject doesn't appeal - and I wouldn't mind betting that many of us on here are not 'run of the mill' folk either. And what is the opposite option - BBC voices, smartly dressed folk, sitting still, not waving their arms about, touching their hair, lip licking etc - be a bit boring don't you think?...


Pauline

Thats a great post!
I DO know where you're going re: "maybe the problem lies with me"!

Re: the spider - no, of course it doesn't make us better people, but I would prefer any inspired youngsters to be given correct information in an interesting appealing way. He has made many mistakes primarily outside his specialist subject (birds), but certainly not wholly outside that subject........but like you said, who wouldn't on live tv?
But as I said, (or thought I did) thats nitpicking and balanced against his appeal to kids etc... a nothing really.

As for your words highlighted in bold - thats very true!
Cheers
Doug

[Jez]

too much critique on the presenters that it looks like were missing the point?

[colincurry]

I am not sure how to take this. Whilst I respect the knowledge and commitment of Bill Oddie and feel for his history of depression (we have experience of this in our family and did not then understand what was going on), I still find his delivery irritating.

My daughter, son-in-law and their two and a half year old daughter were viewing 'Autumn Watch'. Apparently, my granddaughter saw Bill Oddie and said 'Look, there's Grandpa'. Well, I know nothing compared to Bill Oddie (and most other people). My beard is largely white. My hair is considerably shorter than the Great One's. I wish I had Leica bins and scope. However, I will settle for my granddaughter who is second to none. She doesn't like a whiskery kiss and now invites me to 'Kiss my head' when saying goodbye - it could be worse

Colin

[Ipso Facto]