As Esther Rantzen reveals her lung cancer is stage 4, a look back at her marriage to the late Desmond Wilcox

Television icon Dame Esther Rantzen has revealed that she is battling stage 4 lung cancer The TV broadcaster and founder of the charity Childline revealed in January that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer but it has since spread. 

Speaking to the Mirror about her treatment Esther said “I’m on one of the new medications, and nobody knows if it’s working or not. But I will have a scan fairly soon which will reveal one way or another”

Esther began her career as a journalist and rose to fame as the presenter of BBC programme ‘That's Life!’ which began in 1973 and ran for 21 years. The show covered a variety of subjects including consumer advice, rights and investigations on topical news stories. She also became a regular face on the Children in Need fundraising show. 

When Esther worked at the BBC she began an eight-year long affair with the head of department Desmond Wilcox. When they first met Desmond was married to Esther’s friend who also worked at the BBC, Patsy Wilcox. The couple had three children togther.

In 1977, after his divorce from his first wife, Desmond married Esther and the couple went on to have three children together, Rebecca, Miriam and Joshua. Rebecca followed in her parents footsteps and became a television presenter for the BBC’s Watchdog programme. 

Despite an unconventional beginning, Esther and Desmond were happily married for 23 years. Desmond suffered from coronary heart disease and underwent two heart bypass operations, he later died from a heart attack in 2000.

At the time Esther said “I had 32 of the best years of my life with him. He radiated warmth and light into our lives and for the moment we fear that we have lost the sunshine we depended on."

20 years after his death, Esther featured in a Channel Five documentary series about grief, ‘Esther Rantzen: Living with Grief’. She admitted that she was still in denial about her husband's death. 

The series followed the TV presenter exploring the experience of coping with grief and bereavement. Esther spoke to other people who were also dealing with loss in their lives.