The family of beloved TV icon Dame Esther Rantzen is cherishing every moment as she approaches her 86th birthday. Her daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, opened up on Channel 5’s Vanessa about her mum’s incredible resilience in the face of terminal illness.
“Every day is a wonderful miracle,” Rebecca said. “She was diagnosed three years ago with stage four lung and breast cancer, and we are just so grateful to have her here.”
Despite her health struggles, Esther’s passions remain alive and thriving. Rebecca revealed her mum’s love for gardening has turned a once-dilapidated farm into a breathtaking rewilded paradise — so impressive that Monty Don would surely approve. “Her garden is her happy place. I even got married there,” Rebecca shared. And when asked if Esther sometimes roams her garden naked? Rebecca laughed: “It happens most weekends. Nudity is her happy place.” 
Esther was diagnosed in 2023 (Credit: ITV)
Earlier this year, Dame Esther herself revealed that her latest medication was no longer effective. Speaking candidly about her fight for assisted dying rights in the UK, she said, “I will obviously keep battling, not for myself, but for future generations who deserve a compassionate, humanitarian choice. We need the opportunity to ask for assistance — not to shorten our lives, but to shorten our deaths.”
Rebecca has opened up about her mum’s health (Credit: ITV)
As her birthday nears, fans and loved ones are celebrating Dame Esther’s enduring spirit, her love for life, and the moments of joy she continues to create every day.
