Dame Esther Rantzen is dead at 86: Family pays tribute to broadcaster and campaigner who will be remembered for her 'endless capacity for joy'

Dame Esther Rantzen, a prominent British broadcaster known for her work on That's Life! and founding Childline, died at age 86 after battling stage four lung cancer. Her family paid tribute to her as "the most wonderful mother" and a "cherished grandmother," praising her "endless capacity for joy." Rantzen became famous in the 1970s with That's Life!, a show she helped devise that tackled consumer issues and later expanded into investigating life-and-death matters. In 1986, she founded Childline, a helpline providing counseling services to children in distress, which has since helped millions of young people across Britain. More recently, Rantzen became an advocate for assisted dying after her cancer diagnosis, criticizing the current laws that criminalize helping terminally ill individuals with no cure. She died surrounded by family at her home in the New Forest on Wednesday. Tributes from celebrities and public figures highlighted her significant contributions to journalism and social causes, including Dame Elaine Paige and Lorraine Kelly, who praised Rantzen's work for children through Childline and later initiatives like The Silver Line aimed at reducing loneliness among older people. Despite her advocacy efforts, the proposed laws allowing assisted dying in England and Wales did not pass, with Rantzen describing it as a "tragic day." Her legacy is remembered as one of compassion and understanding, inspiring many to continue her mission of helping those in need.