Esther Rantzen said the assisted dying campaign “kept her going” in one of her final TV interviews.
The legendary broadcaster and campaigner’s death, at the age of 86, was announced by her family on Wednesday (30 September).
Dame Esther became a strong proponent for assisted dying, after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023.
Speaking to the BBC over the phone in an interview in March this year, Dame Esther said that although she was no longer having treatment, “things were improving”.
She said: “The problem with me, according to my oncologist, is I am an outlier, I am living longer than he expected me to, No-one knows why, but the last scan things were improving, despite the drugs not working and not being treated.”
Dame Esther said she had another scan booked for June, adding: “If I’m still improving I will carry on fighting, maybe it’s this battle that is keeping me going, who knows?”
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