DAME Esther Rantzen has heartbreakingly revealed that her time is ‘extremely limited’ as she considers ending her life at Dignitas amid her lung cancer battle.
The beloved veteran television star, 85, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in January 2023 and had been undergoing experimental medication, though is no longer receiving any treatment, with her today giving a health update to her fans.
Writing in the Observer on February 1, Esther said: “Last week was the third anniversary of my diagnosis with stage four lung cancer, and to my astonishment, thanks to one of the new miracle drugs, I’m still here.
“Not for much longer,” she sadly added.
“The drug has stopped working now and a scan next week will reveal how far my disease has spread,” Esther explained.
She went on to open up about the assisted dying bill, saying: “I’m definitely not going to live long enough to see the assisted dying bill become law – 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.”
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which was passed by the House of Commons back in June, aims to give terminally ill people over the age 18 with just six months left to live the option to end their life early.
Dame Esther is a big supporter of the Assisted Dying Bill, which narrowly passed through Parliament back in June.
Back in December 2023, Esther revealed she had joined the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland.
At the time she told the BBC that if her treatment did not work, “I might buzz off to Zurich”, where assisted dying is legal.
Just three months ago in November 2025, Esther spoke to The Times about Christmas and how she was no longer receiving treatment for her cancer.
She said: “This year I am planning an ‘official’ Christmas with my children and five grandchildren, slightly ahead of the real Christmas so that there will be more chance that I am actually alive to enjoy it with them.
“Although I live alone, Rebecca (her daughter) will come and decorate the house beautifully, as she has done every year with all my old baubles and bits of tinsel.”
In the candid interview, Dame Esther said: “When I was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2023, I did not expect to last until the next Christmas, so the fact that I am still here and looking forward to this one is a wonderful surprise.”
She then revealed how she is no longer receiving treatment, and her cancers are progressing.
“Right now I am not receiving any treatment, which was my doctor’s decision, as the side-effects outweigh the benefits,” she explained.
“So the cancers are progressing but, according to my most recent scan, very slowly.
“Incidentally, I have also discovered a mental health issue I never expected, scanxiety,” she added.
Dame Esther went on to explain: “Since I have no idea what is actually happening inside my own body, but every scan, every three or four months, carries with it the possibility of bad news, as the date approaches my anxiety levels rise — and we cancer patients have christened it scanxiety.”
She also revealed her “great hope” for the coming year, and what she would really want to happen.
“My great hope for 2026, which I do not expect to survive long enough to witness, is the final passing of the Assisted Dying Bill through all its stages in parliament,” she said.
At the time of the Bill passing through the House of Commons in June 2025, Dame Esther said the terminally ill are “truly voiceless” and face an “agonising death” – adding: “This is a crucial debate for the truly voiceless.”
She went on to say: “They are the terminally ill adults for whom life has become unbearable and who need assistance, not to shorten their lives but to shorten an agonising death – and their loved ones who under the current law will be accused of committing a crime if they try to assist or even stay alongside to say goodbye.”
