Dame Esther Rantzen, the pioneering broadcaster and charity founder whose campaigning transformed the lives of children and older people, has died aged 86. Her family said that her legacy of compassion and understanding would live on through Childline and The Silver Line.

Born in Hertfordshire in 1940, Rantzen began at the BBC in the 1960s and became the face of That's Life! in 1973. The programme combined consumer investigations, campaigning journalism and humour, attracting audiences of more than 20 million at its peak during a 21-year run.

After the programme exposed child abuse and neglect, Rantzen founded Childline in 1986 so children could seek confidential help. She later founded The Silver Line for older people experiencing loneliness and isolation. Her public service also included campaigns on organ donation, bullying and road safety.

Rantzen had been living with stage four lung cancer since announcing her diagnosis in 2023. In her final years she spoke openly about terminal illness and campaigned for a change in the law on assisted dying.

These three licensed photographs show Rantzen at the 2009 BAFTA Television Awards, speaking at Nightingale House in 2011 and smiling at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in 2022. Together they reflect the warmth, energy and directness that accompanied more than five decades in public life.