Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, has reflected on the unimaginable pain her mother has to face on the day she chooses to die via assisted suicide12:46, 24 Jun 2026Updated 13:01, 24 Jun 2026Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter has said it's "impossible" to deal with the broadcaster's decision to die via assisted suicide as the family cannot decide when would be the right time to go through it. Acclaimed broadcaster Esther was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2023 and has shared her wish to choose when she dies.‌The Childline President, 86, has fiercely campaigned for Assisted Dying to be legalised in the United Kingdom, and while steps are currently in motion for a bill to recognise Assisted Dying, Esther said earlier this year she wouldn't live to see it come into fruition.‌During an interview on Channel 5's Vanessa, her daughter, Rebecca, said it was "impossible" for her mother to decide on a day to die.‌"She's looking at a calendar, going 'My grandson's birthday is here, the twins' birthday is here, these ones are starting a new school here," she said, adding that her mother said she "can't possibly" choose to die in January as it would be "horrible" for her daughters to endure that pain.Rebecca continued: "If we had it here, it would literally be those last four days of agony." She explained that if it got to a stage where Dame Esther had fluid on her lungs and was drowning internally, it would be "those four days". "It's peaceful and it's kind, and it is empathetic and we're there," she commented.‌Speaking about the experience with Dignitas, Rebecca continued: "You have to be healthy to travel – you have to get there under your own steam, you can't have somebody push a wheelchair, they will be in trouble. She has to be of sound mind and so she goes months before she would die here.‌"So it's an impossible answer. I don't know how she does it. I don't know how decides when to go. I don't want her to go, I'm this close to calling some sort of air flight emergency. I apologise if your holidays are booked on the same day she plans to go to Dignitas because I will hang on to the plane."Despite this, Rebecca says she "respects" her mother's wishes to travel to the Dignitas clinic, adding that the "last thing" Dame Esther wants is for her children to witness her "awful" death. Rebecca explained that her mother would get into a taxi and would be alive for 48 hours before dying in Switzerland, adding that it wasn't "empathetic and compassionate," as being in your own home with family."This is the one selfish act she will ever do in her life," Rebecca said, adding that she didn't want to see her mum in pain here, and Dame Esther doesn't want her children to see this, either. She stated that despite the happy memories she had of her dad, Desmond Wilcox, these were overshadowed by seeing him in pain.‌"And then a corpse, that replaced everything for me, for years," she said. She went on to explain that Dame Esther has her daughter's support "to go", but she has no idea how she would explain it to her children.Earlier this year, she revealed that the new treatment she had been receiving was no longer effective. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by the House of Commons on June 20 last year, but it has been blocked from progressing by the Lords ever since, by a small minority who raised more than 1,200 amendments. One of these included the need for a pregnancy test for both men and women. The bill ran out last month after almost 17 months of debate.The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.Article continues belowLike this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.