DAME ESTHER RANTZEN DIES AGED 86 AS FAMILY PAYS TRIBUTE TO BELOVED BROADCASTER AND CAMPAIGNER

Dame Esther Rantzen, the much-loved British broadcaster, journalist and campaigner, has died at the age of 86, her family has announced.

The television presenter, who became one of the most recognisable faces on British television and founded the pioneering children’s charity Childline, died on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

Her family described her as their “most wonderful mother” and a “cherished grandmother”, remembering her for her warmth, compassion and “endless capacity for joy.”

“Our adored mother, Dame Esther Rantzen, died today,” her children said in a statement.

They said her legacy of compassion and understanding would live on through Childline and The Silver Line, the charity she founded to support older people experiencing loneliness.

They added that they were grateful she was finally at rest with her beloved husband, Desmond Wilcox, but said they would “miss her immeasurably.”

“She was our sunshine,” the family said.

A LIFE THAT CHANGED BRITISH TELEVISION

Born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, on June 22, 1940, Esther Rantzen studied English at Somerville College, Oxford, before beginning her broadcasting career with the BBC in 1963.

She initially worked behind the scenes before moving into television.

In 1973, she became the presenter of That’s Life!, the BBC consumer affairs programme that would become closely associated with her name.

Rantzen presented the programme for 21 years, until 1994, combining consumer investigations with human-interest stories and social issues.

Her work frequently brought issues that were rarely discussed publicly into the national conversation.

But perhaps her most lasting contribution came outside television.

FOUNDING CHILDLINE

In 1986, an episode of That’s Life! focused on child sexual abuse.

The programme generated an extraordinary response, including calls and thousands of letters from people seeking help.

Rantzen recognised that many children had nowhere safe to turn.

That led to the creation of Childline, which launched as a nationwide, 24-hour helpline in October 1986.

Almost four decades later, the NSPCC said Childline had supported children across the UK and Channel Islands more than six million times through counselling sessions, with millions more reached through its online services.

Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, said Rantzen’s passion and dedication had made a profound difference to children and young people.

“Childline will remain a testament to Esther’s lifelong work on behalf of children,” he said.

THE SILVER LINE

Rantzen later turned her attention to another group she believed could be overlooked — older people experiencing loneliness.

In 2012, she founded The Silver Line, a free telephone service designed to provide friendship, information and support to older people.

Her campaigning and charity work eventually led to further national recognition.

She was awarded an OBE in 1991, a CBE in 2006 and was made a Dame in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to children and older people through Childline and The Silver Line.

HER BATTLE WITH LUNG CANCER

Rantzen revealed in 2023 that she had been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.

Rather than retreat from public life, she continued speaking openly about her illness and became one of Britain’s most prominent campaigners for changes to the law surrounding assisted dying.

She had joined Dignitas and previously spoken about travelling to Switzerland.

Earlier in September 2026, however, Rantzen revealed that she had become too physically fragile to make the journey.

Her campaign continued to attract public attention, particularly after MPs voted against the Assisted Dying Bill in September 2026.

Her daughter Rebecca Wilcox had spoken publicly about the issue and her mother’s experience.

REMEMBERED FOR HER COMPASSION

Tributes began pouring in following news of Rantzen’s death.

The NSPCC said her energy, drive and determination to improve children’s lives had been extraordinary.

The organisation said she remained focused not on her own achievements, but on children who needed someone to listen to them.

Her legacy is now closely connected with organisations that continue operating decades after she founded them.

Childline’s nationwide helpline remains available to children and young people, while The Silver Line continues its work supporting older people.

A FINAL FAREWELL FROM HER FAMILY

For those who knew her personally, however, Dame Esther was more than a broadcaster or campaigner.

She was a mother, grandmother, wife and friend.

Her children — Miriam Wilcox, Rebecca Wilcox and Joshua Wilcox — remembered the woman behind the public figure and described the profound loss felt by their family.

Their statement reflected both grief and gratitude for the life she lived.

“Our adored mother, Dame Esther Rantzen, died today,” they said.

They said her compassion and understanding would continue through the charities she created and through the people whose lives she touched.

Dame Esther Rantzen leaves behind a remarkable broadcasting career, two major charities and a legacy that extends far beyond television.

From That’s Life! to Childline and The Silver Line, her work repeatedly placed ordinary people and their experiences at the centre of the national conversation.

She was 86.