Esther Rantzen’s That’s Life! co-star Adrian Mills speaks out following her death at age 86: ‘Greatest friend!’

Mr Mills spoke on TV on Thursday about the profound impact she had, particularly through her charity work supporting thousands of vulnerable children.

“The first I knew about it was when Esther wrote the script on Friday and said, ‘I’m putting something in the script, and I’d like you to read it’,” he began.

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“It was from a young boy who was being severely abused.

“I read that letter out; this was before mobile phones and online media; the following week we received not one or two, but thousands of letters from children all over the country.

“Esther said, ‘I am going to do something about this and no one is going to stop me,’ and goodness me, what a legacy that is.”

That wave of correspondence ultimately led Dame Esther to establish Childline in 1986.

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Beyond his recollections of the Childline origins, Mr Mills also told Good Morning Britain about Dame Esther’s character in the workplace, noting her “dry sense of humour” and that she “didn’t tolerate people who didn’t give 100 percent.”

“She was the most remarkable broadcaster; she was one of the greatest friends,” he added.

“Right up to the end, she was part of a That’s Life! WhatsApp group.

“There are very few broadcasters who are known only by one name. Her legacy is incredible.”

Her family announced the news in a statement describing Dame Esther as “the most wonderful mother” and a “cherished grandmother” whose “endless capacity for joy” would be remembered by all who knew her.

Celebrities, politicians and charity leaders have since joined the outpouring of tributes.

Dame Esther hosted the BBC’s That’s Life! for 21 years from 1973 to 1994, transforming what began as a consumer affairs programme into one of British television’s most-watched shows, attracting audiences of up to 18 million at its peak.

Following the founding of Childline, she went on to launch The Silver Line in 2012, a confidential helpline providing companionship and support to people aged 55 and over struggling with loneliness.

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After receiving a stage four lung cancer diagnosis in 2023, Dame Esther became one of the most prominent campaigners for the legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales.

By September 2026, she revealed she had become “too physically fragile to make the journey” to Dignitas in Switzerland, and when the assisted dying Bill was defeated in Parliament, she called it a “tragic day”.

Fellow broadcaster Gloria Hunniford described Dame Esther as irreplaceable. “She was unique. There was never anybody like Esther and there probably never will be again,” she said.

Ms Hunniford commended Dame Esther’s willingness to speak candidly about the loneliness she experienced after losing her husband Desmond Wilcox in 2000, calling it “brave” and “very open.”

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She also expressed regret at not seeing her friend before she died, but accepted it was Dame Esther’s wish not to have too many visitors at her New Forest home.

“At 86, she was still fighting her best,” Ms Hunniford said.

“I’m sure had she been spared another six months or a year, she would have continued to fight for assisted dying.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Dame Esther had “changed countless lives and gave a voice to people who often went unheard”.