Esther Rantzen

English television presenter

Dame Esther Louise Rantzen DBE (born 22 June 1940) is an English journalist and television presenter. She presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994. She works with many charities and founded the charities Childline and The Silver Line.


Esther Rantzen

Rantzen in 2022
Born
Esther Louise Rantzen

(1940-06-22) 22 June 1940 (age 83)
Education
Alma materSomerville College, Oxford
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • television presenter
Years active1968–present
Spouse(s)
Desmond Wilcox
(m. 1977; died 2000)
Children3, including Rebecca

In January 2023, Rantzen announced that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer.[1][2] In May 2023, Rantzen announced that her lung cancer had reached stage IV.[3] In December 2023, she said that she had joined an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland.[4]

References change

  1. Vassell, Nicole (29 January 2023). "'I'm optimistic': Esther Rantzen says she has lung cancer which has 'spread'". Independent. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. Welsh, Daniel (29 January 2023). "Dame Esther Rantzen Shares Lung Cancer Diagnosis". HuffPost. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  3. "Dame Esther Rantzen says her lung cancer is in stage four". BBC News. 26 May 2023.
  4. "Esther Rantzen says she's joined assisted dying clinic". 19 December 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.