Broadcaster and campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen has died aged 86.

Her family announced the ex That’s Life! presenter’s death in a statement, saying Dame Esther was “the most wonderful mother”, a “cherished grandmother”, and someone who will be remembered for “her endless capacity for joy”.

Dame Esther hosted the BBC consumer affairs show for 21 years from 1973 to 1994, which led to her setting up Childline, a confidential counselling service for young people in distress, in 1986.

She later launched The Silver Line in 2012, similar support service to Childline aimed at older people suffering loneliness and isolation – part inspired by her own experiences following the death of her husband, Desmond Wilcox.

After being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023, the TV star became an impassioned supporter of the campaign to legalise assisted dying for people who are terminally ill.

She signed up for the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland but had to abandon her plan to end her life there after she became too ill to travel.

When a private member’s bill to change the law in England and Wales to allow assisted dying was finally defeated in September 2026, Dame Esther said it was a “tragic day”, which would deny people the choice open to those in other countries around the world to end their suffering.

She openly discussed her plan to “buzz off” to Zurich” Switzerland to have an assisted death, where the process is legal.

Dame Esther also criticised the “messy and cruel” law in England and Wales which would criminalise loved ones who tried to help.

This month ahead of a vote by MPs which would see efforts to legalise assisted dying defeated in Parliament, Dame Esther shared that it was now too late for her to travel, as she had become “too physically fragile to make the journey”.

She told of her anguish at loved ones seeing her “suffering pain or indignity” while she received end-of-life care and expressed sadness when the assisted dying Bill fell – branding it a “tragic day”.

Dame Esther first became a star fronting That’s Life, the magazine show she helped devise, which featured reports on consumer affairs often blended with satire.

The show was a ratings hit and became one of the most popular programmes on British television, expanding the traditional role of the consumer programme to investigating life-and-death issues, such as a boarding school employing paedophiles and a lack of organ donors,

She founded Childline, a helpline for children in danger or distress, after a temporary helpline open for viewers impacted by a programme about a toddler who had starved to death was swamped with callers.

The calls mainly came from children suffering sexual abuse they had never been able to disclose to anyone else, giving Dame Esther Rantzen the idea for a specific helpline for children, open 24/7 throughout the year.

Childline was originally staffed by volunteer counsellors including Dame Esther and went provide confidential support to more than 4 million young people, before merging with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in 2005.

In a statement, her children Miriam, Rebecca and Joshua Wilcox said: “Our adored mother Dame Esther Rantzen died today.

“Her legacy of compassion and understanding will live on in her charities Childline and the Silverline, and through those of us who were lucky enough to love and be loved by her.

“We are grateful she is finally at rest with her beloved husband, Desmond Wilcox, but we will miss her immeasurably. She was our sunshine.

“We will always remember her endless capacity for joy, her ability to comfort every heartache, her beautiful way with words and her expert guidance in all things.

“She was the most wonderful mother to us three children and a cherished grandmother to her five treasured grandchildren. We have been so lucky for so long, no matter how much time we had with Mum it could be never be enough, but we are so grateful for our lives together.

“Mum’s work with charities and campaigning, particularly for children, older people, and the terminally ill, meant the world to her so thank you to everyone who has written to her, shared their stories with her over the years and worked alongside her.

“We hope the humour, ingenuity and audacity she brought to her work may continue to inspire you as it will do us.

“We kindly ask that we are given privacy and time to grieve.”

Celebrities have shared heartwarming tributes to Dame Esther, including TV host Lorraine Kelly, who described her as “funny, forthright and fabulous”.

Kelly added: “Sad news – a pioneer and a force of nature. Helped so many people – funny, forthright and fabulous. Thoughts with all her family and many friends.”

BBC Radio 5 Live host Nicky Campbell wrote on X: “Dame Esther Rantzen RIP. What a difference she made.”

NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood said she has left an “extraordinary legacy” having “helped millions of children” by founding Childline in 1986.

Paul Farmer, CEO of Age UK, which supports old people in the UK, said on behalf of everyone at the charity he “would like to share our heartfelt condolences” with Dame Esther Rantzen’s family

He added: “Esther was a true inspiration and spent her life working tirelessly to help others. After founding The Silver Line Helpline in 2012, now part of Age UK, she has helped to support thousands of lonely older people, making sure they have someone to talk to whenever they might need it.

“Her dedication and commitment to older people is unrivalled and her legacy will carry on through The Silver Line Helpline’s work. We can never thank her enough.”

This breaking news story is being updated.