Dame Esther Rantzen has delivered a heartbreaking update on her health, candidly admitting that she "doesn't have long left" as she continues her battle with incurable lung cancer. The veteran broadcaster, now 85 years old, received her stage four diagnosis three years ago and has since ceased treatment, offering a remarkably honest assessment of her situation this weekend.
A Remarkable Survival Against the Odds
The television icon expressed her "astonishment" at having survived this long since her initial diagnosis, crediting what she described as "one of the new miracle drugs" for extending her life beyond expectations. However, she revealed that this pharmaceutical intervention has now stopped working effectively, leaving her facing an uncertain future.
"Last week was the third anniversary of my diagnosis with stage four lung cancer, and to my astonishment, thanks to one of the new miracle drugs, I'm still here," Dame Esther explained. "Not for much longer. The drug has stopped working now and a scan next week will reveal how far my disease has spread."
The Assisted Dying Campaign That Won't Conclude in Time
Throughout her health struggles, Dame Esther has been a vocal advocate for the Assisted Dying Bill, which would provide terminally ill adults with the option to end their lives under specific medical circumstances. In another poignant admission, she acknowledged that she will not live long enough to see this legislation become law in the United Kingdom.
Writing in the Observer newspaper, she stated: "I am definitely not going to live long enough to see the assisted dying bill become law - so if my life becomes unbearably painful and I long for a quick, pain-free death, I will have to go to Dignitas in Switzerland, alone."
The Current Legal Landscape and Parliamentary Progress
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which passed through the House of Commons in June, aims to grant terminally ill individuals over 18 with approximately six months to live the choice to end their lives early. This would require approval from two medical professionals plus an expert panel including a social worker, senior legal figure, and psychiatrist.
Assisted dying remains illegal across the UK under current legislation, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years for those who assist someone in ending their life. The bill has now reached the committee stage in the House of Lords, where approximately 1,000 amendments have been proposed - a record number that threatens to delay this historic potential change in the law.
Facing Mortality With Courage and Practicality
Dame Esther, best known for presenting the long-running BBC programme That's Life, has spoken openly about her preparations for the end of her life. In a conversation with Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway towards the end of last year, she shared her perspective on mortality.
"I'm not afraid of death but I am afraid of dying badly," she revealed. "I'm making arrangements because it's the only way I can have an assisted death to go to by myself to Zurich, to Dignitas. I just wish I'm allowed to say goodbye to my family and for them to see that I have a good death."
The Political Battle Over End-of-Life Choices
The broadcasting legend expressed concern about parliamentary opposition to the assisted dying legislation, noting that some members of the House of Lords appear determined to prevent any change to what she described as the "current messy, cruel criminal law."
She warned that continued resistance would force more families to witness their terminally ill loved ones enduring prolonged suffering, even when palliative care proves insufficient to alleviate their pain. Dame Esther has campaigned alongside her daughter Rebecca Wilcox for greater end-of-life choice and dignity for those facing terminal illnesses.
The Macmillan Support Line continues to offer confidential support to people living with cancer and their families, available on 0808 808 0000 for those needing to talk about cancer-related concerns.
