Tributes paid to 'inspirational' presenter and charity founder Esther Rantzen

Dame Esther Rantzen, the inspiring broadcaster and charity founder, passed away at the age of 86 on Wednesday. Childline, the children's helpline she founded in the 1980s, praised her as an individual who had a great mind, a natural journalistic ability, and a force to be reckoned with. Prime Minister Andy Burnham led tributes, stating that she had changed countless lives, while BBC director general Matt Brittin described her as a legend of British broadcasting.

Fellow broadcaster Martin Lewis called her an inspiration and a pioneer, while Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, commended her for going to exceptional lengths to ensure children had somewhere to turn for help. Dame Esther founded Childline in 1986 after featuring child abuse and neglect on her BBC show, That's Life!, and later set up The Silver Line to help older people suffering from isolation and loneliness.

She also campaigned on issues such as child welfare, assisted dying, safety, organ donation, bullying, and was a prominent advocate for the legalisation of assisted dying. Despite being terminally ill with lung cancer, she remained open about her illness, making people reflect on end-of-life questions. Baroness Jan Royall, a friend of Dame Esther, described her as an extraordinary, compassionate woman who brought about change for the better.