19 December 2023 , 00:01
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Dame Esther Rantzen has said she wants to spare her family the agony of seeing her suffer a painful death. The 83-year-old TV veteran has told how she is considering ending her life at the Swiss clinic Dignitas as she battles stage four lung cancer. Dame Esther also called for a free vote on assisted dying to allow terminally ill people to pass away with dignity.
She said: "I have joined Dignitas. I thought, well, if the next scan says nothing’s working I might buzz off to Zurich but it puts my family and friends in a difficult position as they would want to go with me. The police might prosecute them. My family say it’s my choice. I explained to them that I don’t want their last memories of me to be painful. If you watch someone you love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times."
Mum-of-three Dame Esther was asked on The Today Podcast, which is on BBC Sounds today, what she would do if she was PM. She replied: "I would get a free vote on assisted dying. It’s important the law catches up with what the country wants."
The former That's Life host said it was unexpected for her to make it to Christmas but it will be "so precious". She added: "I’ve got to drop off my perch for some reason, and I’m 83, so I should be grateful and I am."
Dame Esther said the thought of her being reunited with departed loved ones and friends cheers up her family.
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Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. Assisted dying opponents believe it may lead to people ending their lives out of fear of becoming a burden on family.
Dame Esther said she was unsure if she would see her last birthday on June 22, so it has been “very unexpected” that she has made it to the Christmas period.
Dame Esther is considering ending her life at Swiss clinic Dignitas (Steve Reigate)She added: “Anything can happen, I live in a forest, a tree can fall on me. I’ve got to drop off my perch for some reason, and I’m 83 damn it, so I should be jolly grateful and indeed am.”
Earlier this month, Dame Esther stepped back as the president of Childline, the counselling service for children and young people, after 37 years at the helm. She was given the role of Childline President when she stood down as a trustee in 2018, but had to quit her current role due to her ongoing health issues.
Her daughter Rebecca Wilcox will be deputising for her at the charity she founded back in 1986. Dame Esther and her daughter Rebecca said: "Because of Esther’s health issues, she has sadly had to reduce her work as President, but we are both thrilled that Childline and the NSPCC have suggested that her daughter Rebecca should now deputise for her.
"She feels deeply honoured to take on this role, she has grown up with Childline and enormously values the many achievements of the service, the dedicated staff and volunteers, all working to protect and support millions of children who have nowhere else to turn.
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"Rebecca has two sons, is a journalist and broadcaster and is very in touch with the challenges facing young people today. Rebecca is about to start training as a volunteer counsellor and is greatly looking forward to meeting as many volunteers and staff and visiting as many bases as possible."
Dame Esther founded the counselling service in 1986 after an episode of theBBCshow, That's Life! Viewers were asked if they would take part in a survey in an edition of the show after she suggested the BBC create a programme to detect children at risk before their lives were in danger.
A helpline was soon created so that children could call for help. Childline merged with the NSPCC in 2006 and then in 2009 expanded to add an online service. Since then, nearly 6 million children have been supported by Childline over the phone and many more have accessed help from the service’s online resources.
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In addition, Dame Esther also set up The Silver Line in 2013, a charity which supports elderly people in the UK who are battling loneliness. She was made a DBE in 2015 for services to children and older people due to her charity work.
– The full interview with Dame Esther Rantzen on The Today Podcast is available on BBC Sounds.