Entertainment · Celebrity · 5 hrs ago
Rebecca Wilcox recalls Esther Rantzen’s final days and assisted-dying campaign
Rebecca Wilcox spoke about her mother Esther Rantzen’s final days on Good Morning Britain during Childline’s 40th anniversary.
Rantzen, a broadcaster and founder of the children’s helpline, died aged 86 on September 30 at her home in the New Forest after stage four lung cancer.
Wilcox said her mother wanted to spare her family from seeing her suffer as her body weakened.
Rantzen had campaigned to give terminally ill people in the UK the option of assisted dying, and the Terminally Ill Adults Bill did not become law.
She had joined Dignitas in Switzerland but became too physically frail to travel there.
In a goodbye note, she said a legal choice could have offered hope and privacy for her family, even though she might not have used it.
Rantzen urged supporters to keep campaigning for future generations; a larger memorial service is expected, but details have not been announced.
Rebecca Wilcox recalled her mother Esther Rantzen’s final days during an appearance marking Childline’s 40th anniversary.
Rantzen died aged 86 at her home in the New Forest on September 30, after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2023.
Wilcox said Rantzen wanted to spare her family from seeing her suffer and was furious that assisted-dying legislation had been rejected.
Rantzen had joined Dignitas in Switzerland but became too physically frail to travel there.
In a note shared after her death, Rantzen said the law had left her without a choice over her death and urged supporters to continue campaigning.
- Who
- Rebecca Wilcox, daughter of broadcaster and Childline founder Esther Rantzen.
- What
- Wilcox recalled her mother’s final days and her assisted-dying campaign.
- When
- Wilcox spoke on Good Morning Britain on October 30, 2026. Rantzen died on September 30.
- Where
- Wilcox appeared on Good Morning Britain; Rantzen died at her home in the New Forest.
- Why
- Wilcox appeared to mark Childline’s 40th anniversary and reflected on her mother’s life and campaign for assisted dying.
Assisted-dying campaigners
Opponents of the bill
Legislation
Assisted-dying campaigners
Rantzen campaigned to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people and said it would offer a choice.
Opponents of the bill
They opposed or blocked the new bill; their reasons are not stated in the sources.
Rantzen was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was introduced in Parliament.
Rantzen died aged 86 at her home in the New Forest.
Rantzen’s family attended a small, private funeral.
Wilcox appeared on Good Morning Britain to mark Childline’s 40th anniversary and spoke about her mother.
- Age at death
- 86
- Cancer diagnosis
- Stage 4 lung cancer in 2023
- Date of death
- September 30
- Place of death
- Her home in the New Forest
- Childline anniversary
- 40th, in 2026
- Dignitas
- Assisted-dying clinic in Switzerland
3 sources
What people are saying
Cancer is evil. She still had the capacity to choose but her body let her down.
Grief is really hard; it's a piece of work.
But I was still deprived of any choice over my own death by the current messy criminal law.
So goodbye and thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this crucial life and death issue.