Remembering Bill Oddie

The Gorilla Organization is profoundly saddened by the loss of our long-standing patron Bill Oddie. For many years, he brought his unique humor and energy to supporting our cause, raising both awareness of the plight of gorillas in the wild as well as significant funds to help keep them from extinction.

Bill rose to fame as first a radio and then a TV comedian in the 1960s and 70s. But he then became just as famous as a naturalist. He was known as a keen ornithologist and passionate advocate for British nature, a passion he shared with audiences of millions on BBC TV.

Alongside his love of native wildlife, Bill also had a great love for apes, above all gibbons and gorillas. And so, while always wary of lending his celebrity to front campaigns or causes, he was always happy to make an exception for the Gorilla Organization. For a long time, he was the face of the Great Gorilla Run, our flagship fundraising event. Bill would send runners on their way and welcome them all over the finish line. Every year, he would find time to meet and chat with each runner, recognizing in them a shared passion for conservation and a taste for the absurd.

When Bill was no longer able to join the Great Gorilla Run in person, he brought his quirky style to runner recruitment. Working with Hollywood animatronic experts, his “Toby and Hillary” series of short films showcased his performing flair and helped inspire legions of new runners to sign up.

Then, in 2016, Bill agreed to put his name to a fundraising campaign. In “Grandma, What’s a Gorilla?” he imagined a world without the great apes, urging people to take action to prevent that becoming a sad reality. He was rightly proud of the work. To date, it has raised more than one million pounds for the Gorilla Organization’s community conservation projects. The work made possible by those funds, and the countless people Bill inspired to join the cause, will be one special part of his legacy.

In 2003, Bill was awarded an OBE in recognition of his services to nature conservation.

Bill Oddie (1941-2026)