William Edgar Oddie was born on 7 July 1941 in Rochdale, Lancashire, but moved to Birmingham at a young age. He was raised by his father, Harry Oddie, and his grandmother, Emily. His father was assistant chief accountant at the Midlands Electricity Board.
His mother, Lilian, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and, for most of his youth, was hospitalised at the Barnsley Hall Hospital psychiatric facility. He was educated at Lapal Primary School, Halesowen Grammar School (now The Earls High School, Halesowen) and King Edward’s School, Birmingham, an all-boys direct grant school, where he captained the school’s rugby union team. He then studied English literature at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
In April 2003 Oddie appeared in the Big Finish audio drama as Red Jasper in “Doctor Who and the Pirates” along side Colin Baker, Maggie Stables.
We were very sorry to read of the death of Bill Oddie, who was a magnificent Red Jasper in Doctor Who and the Pirates, recorded in 2003. Our condolences to his family and friends.
— Big Finish Insider (@bigfinish.bsky.social) 2026-07-27T13:00:22+00:00
