Dame Esther Rantzen has announced that she is stepping down as president of Childline, the counselling service for children and young people, after almost four decades working with the charity.
The 83-year-old presenter was given the role of Childline president when she stood down as a trustee in 2018, but has now quit her current role over her stage four lung cancer diagnosis, which she first revealed earlier this year.
Dame Esther's daughter, broadcaster Rebecca Wilcox, will be deputising for her at the charity she founded back in 1986.
In a joint statement, Dame Esther and Wilcox said: "Because of Esther’s health issues, she has sadly had to reduce her work as president, but we are both thrilled that Childline and the NSPCC have suggested that her daughter Rebecca should now deputise for her.
"She feels deeply honoured to take on this role, she has grown up with Childline and enormously values the many achievements of the service, the dedicated staff and volunteers, all working to protect and support millions of children who have nowhere else to turn."Rebecca has two sons, is a journalist and broadcaster and is very in touch with the challenges facing young people today. Rebecca is about to start training as a volunteer counsellor and is greatly looking forward to meeting as many volunteers and staff and visiting as many bases as possible. ”
Dame Esther founded the counselling service in 1986 after an episode of the BBC show That's Life! Viewers were asked if they would take part in a survey in an edition of the show after she suggested the BBC create a programme to detect children at risk before their lives were in danger.
A helpline was soon created so that children could call for help. Childline merged with the NSPCC in 2006 and then in 2009 expanded to add an online service. Since then, nearly six million children have been supported by Childline over the phone and many more have accessed help from the service’s online resources.
The invaluable service deals with many issues and concerns including child abuse, mental illness, divorce, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, neglect, psychological abuse and much more.
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: “Due to health reasons Esther is taking a step back as the president of Childline.
"Everyone at Childline and the wider NSPCC family sends her our very best wishes. In the interim, I am pleased to confirm that her daughter Rebecca Wilcox will be deputising for her as the president of Childline.
