Dame Esther Rantzen, the esteemed broadcaster and founder of Childline, has delivered a poignant health update, revealing that a medication she has relied upon since 2024 to manage her stage four lung cancer has now stopped working. The 85-year-old, who marked the third anniversary of her diagnosis last week, expressed in a piece for The Observer that she does not anticipate having "much longer" to live, with an upcoming scan set to determine the extent of the disease's progression.
A Lifelong Campaigner's Final Plea
Rantzen shared this heartbreaking news alongside another fervent appeal in support of the assisted dying bill, a cause she has championed for years. She lamented that she is "definitely not going to live long enough to see the assisted dying bill become law," meaning that if her life becomes unbearably painful, she would have to travel alone to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland for a swift, pain-free death. Her plea is simple yet profound: "All I ask is that future generations be given the confidence and hope of a fast, pain-free death when they need it most."
Political Hurdles in Westminster
The assisted dying bill, which would legalise assisted dying under specific circumstances in England and Wales, successfully passed the House of Commons in June 2025. However, it now faces significant obstacles in the House of Lords, where over 1,000 amendments have been tabled. Supporters of the bill allege that opponents in the Lords are employing delaying tactics, potentially jeopardising its passage before the current parliamentary session concludes this spring.
Rantzen's Personal Journey and Advocacy
Rantzen first disclosed her lung cancer diagnosis in January 2023, later confirming it had advanced to stage four. In 2024, she registered with Dignitas and has been a vocal critic of UK laws that could prosecute family members for accompanying loved ones to the Zurich facility. Despite her prognosis, she has maintained a positive outlook, stating last year that she enjoys each day as an "extra bonus," finding solace in her New Forest cottage and spring garden.
Throughout her illustrious career, Rantzen hosted the BBC's That's Life! from 1973 to 1994 and founded the charities Childline in 1986 and Silver Line in 2012, demonstrating her lifelong commitment to public service and advocacy for vulnerable individuals.
