For four decades Esther Rantzen, who has died aged 86, was one of the most recognisable figures on British television. A pioneering and influential female presenter and campaigner, she also set up the Childline telephone hotline for children to report abuse and bullying, and in her later years advocated the right to assisted dying for terminally ill people.
Rantzen became a champion of consumer rights and the central figure on the BBC’s That’s Life! programme, which ran for 21 years from 1973. She went on to present other, shorter-running series, including Hearts of Gold (1988-96) and a chatshow, Esther (1994-2002). She also appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! in 2008.
