Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter on her disappointment with the King’s speech

Esther is dealing with terminal cancer…

On Friday’s Good Morning Britain, Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter Rebecca Wilcox says that she continues to have faith in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his government despite feeling disappointed that there was no mention of the assisted dying bill in the recent King’s speech.

Speaking to hosts Charlotte Hawkins and Rob Rinder in an emotional interview, Rebecca gave an update on her mother’s health as she says she is still “living from scan to scan”, adding, “She is on this miracle drug which seems to be working but we don’t have any long term data for how long it will work. At the moment it’s working and yes we live scan to scan but we’re really enjoying what we have.” 

She continued: “We feel like we are living in an hourglass and the sand is pouring on us and there will come a point where our heads are no longer above it and I really want the politicians, the MP’s, the people of this country to realise that we all have a choice in how we live and I want us to have a choice in how we die.” 

BBC PR Handout: Esther brings Hearts of Gold to BBC One

Before becoming Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer made a direct pledge to Dame Esther Rantzen that if he was “privileged enough to win the election” then he would “make time for this vote.” 

“I feel it’s so little and I feel that was a promise and I really don’t want to think he would lie because if you lied to my mum, god help you” said Rebecca.

She added: “I mean, seriously, we are a family of campaigners, we will come down on you like a tonne of bricks as this is important and time is running out for the hundreds of people who are currently in pain and are currently watching loved ones go through this. It is really important that it happens now.” 

BBC Publicity PR handout: Esther Rantzen hosts That’s Life!

Responding to Charlotte asking if she was disappointed that it wasn’t included in the King’s speech, Rebecca responded: “Really disappointed. I thought I had misheard and I searched the whole transcript thinking ‘how has this not come in?’ this was a campaign promise.”

Closing the interview, Rebecca pleaded: “Can we please make this possible for her. This is her last great wish for her own sake and for everyone else going through this.” 

She continued emotionally: “I’m sorry, I find it very difficult to talk about this and not get wound up because I don’t want her to go through a painful death. I don’t want my memories of her to be completely dissolved by pain and agony in those last few days.” 

Good Morning Britain weekdays from 6am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player