Dame Esther Rantzen dies age 86 after lung cancer battle

Broadcaster and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen has died aged 86. Her family announced the ex That’s Life! presenter’s death in a statement, saying Dame Esther was “the most wonderful mother”, a “cherished grandmother”, and someone who will be remembered for “her endless capacity for joy”. Dame Esther hosted the BBC consumer affairs show for 21 years from 1973 to 1994, which led to her setting up Childline in 1986, to provide counselling services for young people. Shorts She later launched The Silver Line in 2012, which aims to tackle loneliness in older people. In later life Dame Esther became a strong proponent for assisted dying, after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023. She openly discussed her plan to “buzz off to Zurich” to have an assisted death at Dignitas and criticised the “messy and cruel” law in England and Wales which would criminalise loved ones who tried to help. This breaking news story is being updated. EXPLORE MORE ON THE TOPICS IN THIS STORY