Dame Esther had previously shared that she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in May 2023.
A statement from her family paid tribute to the “most wonderful mother” and “cherished grandmother” who will be remembered for her “endless capacity for joy”.
Dame Esther Rantzen dies aged 86
Dame Esther became a household name in the UK during her time on the BBC; she was best known for presenting That’s Life! – a programme featuring a mix of investigations, topical issues and entertainment – from 1973 to 1994.
Alongside her successful career as a journalist and broadcaster, she also set up children’s charity Childline in 1986.
Dame Esther created Childline to help offer counselling and support for children and young people in the UK up until the age of 19, in 2006 the charity became part of The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
The late broadcaster also set up The Silver Line in 2013, a charity which supports elderly people in the UK who are battling loneliness.
In 2015, Dame Esther was made a DBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to children and older people due to her charity work.
During her lung cancer diagnosis, Dame Esther had been very open with her thoughts on death and in December 2023 she shared she had joined the assisted dying organisation, Dignitas.
Dame Esther had also called for a free vote on assisted dying, sharing: “I think it’s important that the law catches up with what the country wants.”
Dame Esther Rantzen is survived by her three children, Rebecca, Miriam and Joshua Wilcox.
