'It's Too Late': Dame Esther Rantzen Gives Emotional Update on Her Cancer Fight

Writing candidly about her health journey, the 85-year-old journalist and TV presenter said she would not live long enough to see assisted dying become legal in England and Wales but hoped for a better future for others.

Dame Esther Rantzen has delivered a stark and emotional update on her terminal cancer battle, revealing she does not have long left to live, three years after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

Writing on February 1, 2026, Rantzen said that while a so-called "miracle drug" had kept her alive far beyond initial forecasts, it was sadly no longer effective, adding bluntly that she was "not for much longer" going to be here.

This left her anxiously awaiting, as the TV presenter, now 85, said an MRI scan scheduled for the following week would reveal the extent of the cancer's progression.

Reflecting on the third anniversary of her diagnosis, Rantzen acknowledged that she had already lived longer than expected but made clear that time was now running out. The 85-year-old added that she would not live long enough to see assisted dying become legal in England and Wales, further revealing:

"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."

This is because current law could expose loved ones to a police murder investigation if they accompanied her. The journalist described the legislation as "messy" and "cruel," arguing that it forced families to watch terminally ill relatives endure prolonged suffering when even the best palliative care failed.

Her comments came as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returned to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and an independent panel including a social worker, a senior legal figure, and a psychiatrist.

The Bill passed the Commons in June 2025 but has since faced more than 1,000 amendments in the Lords, a record number for a private member's Bill.

Supporters of the legislation have accused opponents of attempting to delay the process until it runs out of parliamentary time before spring. Rantzen echoed those concerns, saying some peers were not being honest about their motives.

As news of her latest update spread, messages of support and reflection appeared online, with many netizens praising her resilience and confronting the realities she described.

She argued that the amendments were designed to block the Bill entirely, not improve it, and said opposition stemmed from personal religious beliefs or misplaced fears that the law would pressure disabled people, despite applying only to those with terminal diagnoses and limited life expectancy.

Rantzen, who co-founded ChildLine, said she had received countless "tragic stories about suicides, about patients begging for help to die, [and] about loving families feeling helpless facing this terrible suffering."

She quoted one recent message expressing gratitude that she was still campaigning, adding that such voices were being ignored while other parts of the world, including Scotland and the Isle of Man, moved to reform their own laws.

Both Rantzen and her daughter, Rebecca, have long been advocates for assisted dying reform. While supporters of the Bill have suggested the Parliament Act could be used to override objections from the Lords if it is not passed before the King's Speech in May, Rantzen made clear that she did not believe that any legal change would come in time for her.

The 85-year-old said her only remaining hope was that future generations would be given the reassurance of a pain-free death, stating:

"It's too late to help me, but please, lords, spare others this needless pain. [...] On the third anniversary of my own diagnosis, all I ask is that future generations be given the confidence and hope of a fast, pain-free death when they need it most."

As news of her latest update spread, messages of support and reflection appeared online, with many netizens praising her resilience and confronting the realities she described. One person commented, "She has been so stoical and brave." Another wrote, "Terrible, not her time to go; too young."

Others focused on Rantzen's courage and the manner in which she has faced her diagnosis. One person said, "Of course , I wish her well for as long as humanly possible. A courageous woman , I hope she does win out in the end. It is only right. When her death does come I hope it is a peaceful & painless one [sic]. 👍❤️"

Some responses broadened into reflections on mortality and legacy, as one person shared, "It's something everyone [sic] of us has to face. That's why we should make the most of the time we have here. Try to stop sweating the small stuff, namely bills, taxes and politics."

"None of it matters in the grand scheme of things. At 85 Esther has had a long and meaningful life and is well respected by the British public of a certain age. She has achieve more than most could even dream of [sic]," the netizen added.

Recalling her husband's final moments, Rantzen said Wilcox's last words to her were, "I adore you," a memory she said she would carry with her to the grave.

"Let's hope she spends her time surrounded by family and love ones and has access to the best pain management meds available. Esther thank you, that's life [sic]," they concluded.

Rantzen has previously spoken with equal openness about death and loss. In an interview published in 2025, she said her time was "extremely limited" and revealed her final wish was to be reunited with her late husband, Desmond Wilcox, who died of a heart attack in 2000 at the age of 69.

Speaking to The Times, she reflected on the idea of an afterlife, saying that if heaven existed, it would be a place where she could meet Wilcox again, along with her parents, grandparents, friends, and family.

Rantzen and Wilcox began their relationship in 1968 and married in 1977, spending 30 years together and raising three children. She has previously described the pain of widowhood, saying:

"I said to my son last night, 'If God gave me the choice between 10 more years of life and 10 more minutes with Desi, I would pick those 10 minutes.'"

Recalling her husband's final moments, Rantzen said Wilcox's last words to her were, "I adore you," a memory she said she would carry with her to the grave.

Now, as she faces the final stage of her illness, Rantzen continues to speak publicly with clarity and resolve, using her remaining time to argue for change while confronting her own mortality with characteristic frankness.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.