Daughter of Dame Esther Rantzen Opens Up About Family's Denial Amid Cancer Diagnosis
In a poignant appearance on Good Morning Britain, Rebecca Wilcox, the daughter of renowned TV star and Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen, candidly admitted that her family is living "in denial" following her mother's terminal cancer diagnosis. Dame Esther, aged 85, publicly revealed in 2023 that she has stage four lung cancer, a condition that has profoundly impacted her loved ones.
Emotional Update on Dame Esther's Health
During the interview on Friday, February 27, 2026, Rebecca responded to presenter Kate Garraway's inquiry about her mother's well-being with a mix of humour and raw emotion. "As a family, we're great, because we live in denial about everything. I mean, who has cancer? No one has cancer," she remarked, before turning serious. "But obviously, seriously, it's a really weird time. As anybody who knows, who has got someone that they adore, who has a terminal diagnosis. You just live in a state of anxiety between the scans."
Rebecca praised her mother's resilience, stating, "Mum is incredible. I don't know how she's doing it. She is surviving not only the cancer, but the treatments as well. She is obviously now palliative. The treatments have stopped working. And she is still going." This update highlights the challenging journey faced by Dame Esther, who has been a high-profile advocate for assisted dying legislation, even joining the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.
Assisted Dying Debate and Family Concerns
The discussion on Good Morning Britain coincided with news that Jersey had approved a law allowing terminally ill adults the right to choose to end their lives. Rebecca expressed frustration that similar legislation in the UK appears likely to run out of time, a sentiment she said Dame Esther shares. When asked by presenter Ranvir Singh if her mother still plans to go abroad for assisted dying if needed, Rebecca confirmed, "Absolutely."
She elaborated on the family's difficult position, noting, "We're in this odd, privileged position, if that's the word, whereby she can afford to have the death that she wants and deserves. She will pay £15,000 to go to Dignitas. She will go before she has to. She will go months before she would die here. And she will go alone, because we contacted a criminal solicitor."
Rebecca revealed the legal risks involved, explaining that due to their public campaigning for assisted dying, the family fears investigation and prosecution if they accompany Dame Esther. "I will possibly lose my enhanced DBS, which means my work with Childline, which is so important to me, and my counselling work will not go forward. I will possibly lose my job as a journalist. My brother's job as a cardiologist might be in danger, and my sister's job as well. And my mum doesn't want that for us, so she is not allowing us to go with her."
She concluded emotionally, "So she goes alone to die in Switzerland, and she does not deserve that." Presenter Kate Garraway responded, "It's utterly heartbreaking. And you are such a passionate campaigner, not just for your mum, but for all the hundreds of thousands of people who absolutely back your position."
This heartfelt interview underscores the personal and legal complexities surrounding terminal illness and assisted dying in the UK, as Dame Esther Rantzen's family navigates a challenging period with courage and openness.
