Rebecca Wilcox, the daughter of Dame Esther Rantzen has shared a heartbreaking health update on her mum who was on new medication to ease her condition

Dame Esther Rantzen speaks about assisted dying in 2024

Dame Esther Rantzen is no longer responding to her medication, her daughter revealed. The veteran broadcaster, campaigner and journalist is battling terminal lung cancer. Initially, Dame Esther found a lump under her armpit after feeling tired over the Christmas period in December 2022. Just weeks later, a biopsy confirmed she had stage four cancer.

Since her diagnosis, Dame Esther, 84, has spoken openly about the Assisted Dying Bill, which is currently being debated by Parliament. However, the law could take several years to be implemented due to additional safeguarding being put in place as the bill continues to go through the MPs. Meanwhile, Dame Esther has even shared her views on dying at Dignitas, due to assisted dying currently being illegal in the United Kingdom.

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But Dame Esther knows that if she did travel to Switzerland, her family could face repercussions. “My family could be prosecuted if I go,” she said previously.

Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter has shared a heartbreaking health update(Image: Channel 5 NEWS’)

Now, in a new interview, Dame Esther’s daughter, Rebecca Wilcox has shared a heartbreaking health update. When asked about a new medication which was initially believed to help improve Dame Esther’s condition, Rebecca revealed that this was not the case.“I really wish that was true,” she said, adding: “I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” she told 5 News.

Rebecca has previously spoken about the heart-wrenching possibility of facing prosecution for accompanying her mother, to the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland.

Dame Esther has stage four cancer after discovering a lump in her arm pit(Image: PA)

In an intimate interview with Hello!, Rebecca recounted her mother’s words: “My mum said that she lost her mother, her husband and her dog within a very short time and that of the three, the dog had the most wonderful death, and the others didn’t.”

Facing the grim reality, Rebecca expressed her hope that the trip to Dignitas isn’t imminent, but admitted the legal risks involved: “We’re just hoping that flight to Dignitas doesn’t have to happen any time soon. I can’t say whether I’d go with her because I’d face prosecution, which would be a nightmare at the worst time in my life and something I don’t think I’d ever get over.”

She added: “But it would be a very strange version of me that would let her go alone.”

The journalist has previously spoken about her views on the Assisted Dying Bill (Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

In December, TV presenter Angela Rippon, a close friend of Dame Esther, also revealed that Dame Esther felt “relieved” when her assisted dying bill received support from Parliament.

The proposal to allow a terminally ill person with less than six months to live assistance to end their life passed by 330 votes to 275. Dame Esther is terminally ill with lung cancer and revealed she had joined Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, last year.

Angela, 80, has been friends with Esther for more than 30 years, and the pair still regularly speak on the phone. “She is an amazing person,” praises Angela. “All her life she’s used her platform to create change. Silver Line, Childline, and all of those things that she’s done. Now because this is very personal to her, she’s used that influence that she has and that power that she has. She’s done it again.

“I think she is thrilled over what happened. I think she’s delighted and I think she’s relieved.” Dame Esther has terminal cancer and has spoken about wanting to decide to end her life when her quality of life deteriorates. Her passionate campaigning on the subject led to the bill being brought.

Speaking at the Television and Radio Club Christmas lunch, Angela continued: “Esther has made a big impact, of course she did, but she has all her life. All her life she’s been an inspiration to people for all sorts of things.

“And I think that this is very personal for her. The great thing with Esther is that when she takes on a campaign, she discovers that there are thousands of people who join in with her and support her.

“And I think that everything she’s done, whether it was Childline or Silverline or now supporting Leadbeater on this, it’s another of those instances where she’s actually been a really important figure in a campaign and I think that’s absolutely brilliant.”