Dame Esther Rantzen, BAFTA-Winning TV Presenter, Dies at 86
Dame Esther Rantzen, the BAFTA-winning British TV presenter, has died at 86, her children confirmed to the Press Association.
Dame Esther Rantzen, the BAFTA-winning British television presenter, has died at the age of 86, her children confirmed in a statement to the Press Association.
Rantzen was a defining presence in British broadcasting, best known for hosting the consumer affairs show That's Life! for more than two decades. The series mixed investigations with human-interest stories and became a fixture of the national conversation.
Her television legacy includes a famous episode of That's Life! that reunited humanitarian Nicholas Winton with Jewish children he had rescued from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. The moment was later depicted in the Anthony Hopkins film One Life.
In 1988, Rantzen won BAFTA's Richard Dimbleby Award for factual programming. She was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2014, and she also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.
Beyond the screen, Rantzen founded the charities Childline and The Silverline. In 2023 she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and she went on to campaign for the legalization of assisted dying in the UK. Lawmakers voted against proposed legislation earlier this month.
Quick answers
How old was Dame Esther Rantzen when she died?
She was 86.
What show was Dame Esther Rantzen best known for?
She hosted the consumer affairs show That's Life! for more than two decades.
What charities did Dame Esther Rantzen found?
She founded Childline and The Silverline.