Dame Esther Rantzen dies aged 86
Veteran broadcaster and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen has died at the age of 86, her family has announced.
The former presenter, best known for hosting the BBC’s That’s Life! and founding Childline, died surrounded by her family at her home in the New Forest.
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She had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023.
Dame Esther became one of Britain’s best-known broadcasters during her 21 years presenting and producing That’s Life!, from 1973 to 1994.
The consumer affairs programme attracted more than 20 million viewers at its peak.
Her work on the programme led her to establish Childline in 1986, providing support for children and young people.
She later founded The Silver Line, a confidential helpline aimed at tackling loneliness among older people.
In later years, Dame Esther became a prominent campaigner for the legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales following her cancer diagnosis.
She joined the Swiss assisted dying organisation Dignitas, but revealed in September that she had become too physically fragile to travel there.
She was made a dame in 2015 for her services to children and older people.
Tributes from across broadcasting, politics and the charity sector have highlighted the impact of her career and campaigning.
Dame Esther was married to documentary filmmaker Desmond Wilcox until his death in 2000.
She is survived by their three children, Miriam, Rebecca and Joshua, and five grandchildren.