In one of her most emotional interviews to date, Dame Esther Rantzen has revealed her final wish — to meet her late husband, Desmond Wilcox, again after death. The legendary broadcaster and Childline founder, now battling terminal lung cancer, spoke with moving honesty about love that endures beyond life, saying that the years she shared with Desmond were “the happiest of her life.”
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Esther Rantzen and Desmond Wilcox enjoyed 32 happy years of marriage together(David Levenson/Getty Images)
The couple were married for 32 years before Desmond tragically passed away from a heart attack in 2000, aged just 69. Now, twenty-five years later, Esther says her heart still aches for him every single day.
“If there is a heaven,” she said softly, “it would be a very happy place. It’s a lovely idea to meet Desmond again — and all those I’ve loved and lost: my parents, my grandparents, my close friends, and my family.”
💫 “I Would Give Ten Years of My Life for Ten More Minutes With Him”
Even in her most difficult moments, Esther’s love for Desmond has never faded. She once confessed she would have traded ten years of her own life just to spend ten more minutes with him.
Speaking to The Times, the 83-year-old admitted she is preparing for the end, knowing her future is “extremely limited.”
Her words carry both peace and sorrow — a woman aware of what lies ahead, but still holding on to a love that refuses to die.
❤️ A Love Story That Defied Convention
Desmond passed away 25 years ago(Getty Images)
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Esther and Desmond’s romance began in 1968 under circumstances that shocked colleagues and friends alike. At the time, Desmond was still married to his first wife, Patsy Price, who also happened to be Esther’s BBC colleague and best friend.
Their relationship, though passionate, came at a heavy price. The affair caused an uproar within the BBC and ultimately led to Desmond resigning as Head of the General Features Department.
Years later, Esther would admit the beginning of their relationship “always bothered” her.
“It was not good news,” she confessed on the Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth podcast. “We tried to break up quite often. I was extremely sad about the situation.”
The couple welcomed three children together(Getty Images)
Patsy initially refused to grant a divorce, but when Esther became pregnant, she relented. The couple married in December 1977, later welcoming three children — Emily (now known as Miriam), Rebecca, and Joshua.
🌹 “He Radiated Warmth and Light Into Our Lives”
When Desmond passed away in 2000, Esther described it as losing the sunshine from her world.
“I had 32 of the best years of my life with him,” she once said. “He radiated warmth and light into our lives. For a while, it felt like we’d lost the sunshine we depended on.”
In a 2013 interview with Piers Morgan, she recalled his final words — ones that have never left her:
“Desmond’s last words to me were, ‘I adore you.’ I was sitting by his deathbed. I told my son last night, if God gave me a choice between ten more years of life and ten more minutes with Desi, I’d take those ten minutes.”
💔 Facing the End With Courage and Grace
Dame Esther was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2023, after discovering a lump in her armpit during Christmas 2022. A biopsy confirmed the worst. By May 2023, she publicly shared that the disease had progressed to stage four.
Since then, she’s been open about her journey — from treatment to acceptance.
Last month, her daughter Rebecca revealed that Esther’s medication had stopped working and her body was no longer responding to it.
Despite this, Esther continues to face her illness with courage, candor, and the same warmth that made her one of Britain’s most loved television figures.
🕊️ “I’ve Signed Up for Dignitas”
In one of her bravest admissions, Dame Esther confirmed that she had registered with Dignitas, the assisted-dying clinic in Switzerland.
She explained that her decision was not out of fear, but a desire to have control over her final days — should her suffering become “unbearable.”
“I always knew any change in assisted-dying laws wouldn’t come in time for me,” she said. “The delay means nothing will change before 2029 — too late for me, but I hope not for others.”
Her advocacy for assisted dying has been unwavering. She believes patients with terminal illnesses deserve both dignity and choice.
“The sooner it’s put in place,” she said, “the more patients will be given that right — and the more vulnerable people will be protected from pressure or coercion. The current law protects no one.”
💞 Remembering Desmond
For Esther, every reflection on life leads back to Desmond. Even after nearly three decades apart, he remains her anchor — the man whose presence shaped her laughter, her work, and her understanding of love.
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Desmond was a celebrated documentary filmmaker, known for his warmth and humanity. Together, they raised three children and built a life filled with humor, debate, and mutual admiration.
She often describes him as her “greatest cheerleader,” the one person who saw her not as a celebrity, but as a woman with endless curiosity and heart.
“He was my soulmate,” she said. “Desmond made every ordinary day feel extraordinary.”
🌤️ “If There’s a Heaven, I Hope He’s Waiting for Me”
Now, as she faces her final chapter, Esther has found comfort in the belief that love might survive beyond life itself.
She says she often dreams about Desmond — not in sadness, but with peace.
“Sometimes I feel him around me,” she told The Times. “I like to imagine he’s somewhere, laughing at the same old jokes, waiting patiently for me.”
Her faith is not religious in the traditional sense, but rooted in hope — the kind that transcends fear.
“If there’s a heaven, I’ll be very happy there,” she said. “It’s a lovely thought — to be with Desmond again, and everyone I’ve loved and lost.”
🌺 A Life That Changed Millions
Beyond her personal story, Dame Esther’s professional legacy is immense.
As the founder of Childline and The Silver Line, she has spent decades fighting for those without a voice — from vulnerable children to lonely elderly people. Her courage, compassion, and relentless energy have made her one of Britain’s most respected figures.
She has also used her platform to break taboos around death, grief, and aging — topics many avoid.
Even now, as her own time draws near, she continues to speak not with fear, but with purpose.
“I don’t know what comes next,” she once told BBC Radio. “But I do know I’ve lived a wonderful life. And I’ve loved deeply — that’s what matters.”
💖 Love That Outlives Time
Those who know her say Dame Esther is at peace. She spends her days surrounded by her children and grandchildren, sharing laughter, memories, and the quiet joy of knowing she made a difference.
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In her own words:
“We all think love fades when someone dies, but it doesn’t. It stays — it just changes form. It becomes memory, light, and comfort.”
As she faces the final chapter of her remarkable life, Esther Rantzen remains — as ever — brave, candid, and full of love.
