Dame Esther Rantzen, the television presenter best known for hosting That’s Life! and the founder of the Childline helpline, has died at the age of 86. A prominent campaigner for older people and medically-assisted death, her passing marks the end of a multifaceted career in broadcasting and charity.
Esther Louise Rantzen was born on 22 June 1940 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, to Henry Rantzen, a BBC broadcast engineer. Her paternal ancestors were Polish Jews. The family relocated from London to escape German bombing during the war, and Rantzen later recalled loving the semi-rural environment before returning to the capital after the conflict.
After attending the North London Collegiate School and reading English at Somerville College, Oxford, where she joined the Dramatic Society, she began her broadcasting career. She secured a trainee role at BBC Radio before moving to television as a researcher for the satirical program BBC3.
Her professional trajectory shifted when she met documentary maker Desmond Wilcox. He offered her a position on the current affairs show Man Alive, and the two eventually began a relationship that led to marriage in 1977. Their partnership caused significant tension at the BBC due to Wilcox’s concurrent marriage to Patsy, a close friend of Rantzen, and allegations of favoritism. Wilcox resigned in 1980 to establish his own production company.
Rantzen first appeared on screen on Braden’s Week before being selected to front That’s Life! in 1973 following the dismissal of original host Bernard Braden. Initially a consumer protection show, it evolved into a platform for high-profile campaigns, including the establishment of Childline in 1986. The helpline was created after a documentary highlighted cases of child abuse, including the tragic death of a toddler locked in a bedroom.
Despite initial doubts from childcare professionals regarding the feasibility of a round-the-clock service, Rantzen successfully raised funds and persuaded BT to provide infrastructure. By the time Childline merged with the NSPCC in 2006, it had expanded to 12 centers across the UK and inspired similar services globally.
Following the cancellation of That’s Life! in 1994, Rantzen continued her broadcasting work with Esther, an afternoon talk show on BBC Two that ran for 600 episodes. She also launched The Silver Line in 2012, a support service for older people dealing with loneliness, prompted by the death of her husband Desmond Wilcox in 2000.
Her public service extended beyond television. She attempted to enter politics in 2010, standing for parliament in Luton South, though she finished fourth with approximately 4% of the vote. Throughout her life, she was involved with more than 50 charities and received an OBE in 1991, a CBE in 2006, and was appointed Dame Commander in the 2015 New Year Honours.
In her later years, Rantzen became a vocal advocate for the legalization of assisted dying. She had previously been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer, a condition she discussed openly with media outlets such as The Mirror and The Times. She passed away on 30 September 2026, leaving behind a legacy of charitable innovation and social campaigning.
Was it the lung cancer diagnosis that pushed her toward the assisted dying campaign? Her later years were quite public about this.
I never realized she stood for parliament in 2010. She really did everything, from broadcasting to charity work to politics.
What an incredible legacy. Childline saved countless lives and her courage in campaigning for assisted dying was truly inspiring.