Esther Rantzen on a Christmas she did not expect to see
Radical with Amol Rajan
BBC
4.5 • 919 Ratings
🗓️ 19 December 2023
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Dame Esther Rantzen is a broadcasting legend, responsible for some of the most famous moments in television history. She blazoned a trail for women in the media and has and has made a huge impact with her charity campaign work. Today she is continuing to make headlines for her battle with stage-four lung cancer. In a remarkably candid interview with Amol and Nick, she reflects on her career and opens up about the impact the disease has had on her life. She speaks about not having expected to see this Christmas – and why she now wants parliament to vote on legalising assisted dying, something she is now considering for herself. This is a special bonus episode of the Today Podcast. Episodes of The Today Podcast land every Thursday and watch out for bonus episodes. Subscribe on BBC Sounds to get Amol and Nick's take on the biggest stories of the week, with insights from behind the scenes at the UK's most influential radio news programme. If you would like a question answering, get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 4346 or email us Today@bbc.co.uk The Today Podcast is hosted by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson, both presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the UK’s most influential radio news programme. Amol was the BBC’s media editor for six years and is the former editor of the Independent, he’s also the current presenter of University Challenge. Nick has presented the Today programme since 2015, he was the BBC’s political editor for ten years before that and also previously worked as ITV’s political editor. The senior producer is Tom Smithard, the producer is Rufus Gray. The editors are Jonathan Aspinwall and Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths. Studio direction from Jack Graysmark.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:04.7 | Hello, this is Amol and welcome to a bonus edition of the Today Podcast. |
| 0:10.6 | And this is Nick. |
| 0:12.2 | And we've just been recording an interview, which I think I will never forget. |
| 0:17.2 | As a little boy, I remember every Sunday sitting in front of the telly watching a program |
| 0:23.4 | and knowing that everybody else I knew would be watching the very same program. It was that's |
| 0:30.4 | life. The host, Esther Ransom, now Dame Esther Ransson, who since then has become one of the great characters in the land, |
| 0:39.7 | not just a broadcaster, but a campaigner, and recently revealed that she's seriously unwell. |
| 0:46.1 | She's got stage four lung cancer. |
| 0:49.8 | And we've been talking to her about the Christmas that she didn't think she'd ever see. |
| 0:54.8 | And it's worth saying just before you hear this remarkable testimony, really, from someone |
| 1:00.3 | who's witnessed an amazing 83 years and has some time to go yet, that it is hard to |
| 1:05.6 | overstate, as Nick says, what a giant force in the land Esther Ranson has been. |
| 1:11.0 | She presented That's Life for over 20 years. |
| 1:13.5 | She founded a charity called Childline that offered solace and support to lots and lots of children. |
| 1:18.3 | She then founded another charity called Silver Line. |
| 1:20.3 | She's run for Parliament. |
| 1:22.0 | She was one of the most famous women in Britain for decades. |
| 1:25.9 | And as you're about to hear, until the very last, an incredibly astute and sharp journalist, TV producer and campaigner. |
| 1:34.8 | This is Dame Esther Ranson joins us. |
| 1:51.8 | Hello, how lovely to hear you. |
| 1:53.8 | How very formal you are. |
... |
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