Esther Rantzen says kind strangers will meet her before Dignitas if family can’t come

Watch: Esther Rantzen reveals kind offer from strangers

What did you miss?

Dame Esther Rantzen has revealed people who live in Zurich have offered to meet her at the plane if her family can't come with her to Dignitas, in Switzerland.

Dignitas is a non-profit organisation which provides physician-assisted dying. Here in the UK, Euthanasia is illegal and can be prosecuted as murder or manslaughter.

MPs are poised to debate a petition on assisted dying, backed by Rantzen, in Westminster on Monday after it received more than 200,000 signatures. Rantzen is too unwell to attend the demonstration herself but terminally ill people, bereaved relatives and celebrities will gather outside Parliament to call for change.

Hours before the debate, Good Morning Britain aired Susanna Reid's moving conversation with Rantzen about assisted dying. Rantzen continues treatment for stage four lung cancer as she spoke about the kindness of strangers and her family's feelings about Dignitas.

What, how and why?

Rantzen said: "As you know, signed up with Dignitas. But it does mean if I go to Switzerland that my family can't come with me for fear of being interrogated by the police, which is not what you want your family to go through."

Presenter Reid asked her whether she would consider making the journey on her own. Rantzen revealed the kindness of strangers and how she wouldn't be on her own.

She said: "Among the wonderful messages of support there are people who say they'd go with me or people who live in Zurich and would meet me off the plane, so I don't know. It's really a decision for my family to make. They might say, 'The hell with it. We're going with you.' I mean, this whole thing is really to try and save them from a terrible memory."

She added: "If I knew that was going to be difficult for my family to witness, I would want to be able to ask for help."

The ChildLine founder said we are kinder to our pets when it comes to death. She explained: "There was Desi, my husband. There was my mother and there was our dog. And there's no question that our dog had the best death. We discovered he had cancer, and before the symptoms got painful, we put him to sleep. We can offer our loved, beloved pets a pain free death, and we can't offer it to our beloved family."

Sir Keir Starmer has shared his personal support for Rantzen's campaign to legalise assisted dying in the UK. As the debate takes place on Monday, Rantzen shared her hopes of change in the UK.

She said: "I hope that some of the MPs who oppose any change in the law listen to some of the evidence that we've now been able to get from around the world because I think that evidence will allay some of their fears."

Rebecca Wilcox

Rantzen's daughter Rebecca Wilcox has thrown her support behind her mum. She shared the consequences she would face if she joined her mum at Dignitas.

"I wish it was up to me," she said. "If it was up to me, I would be there in a shot. That's a terrible phrase to use about assisted dying. I would be there. I would hold her hand. This woman is my person, she's my best friend, I talk to her four times a day about everything and I adore her but if I go with her to Switzerland.

"I face prosecution, the process can take up to two years, cost thousands in legal fees and I face up to 14 years in prison. I have two young children, I am deputy president of ChildLine. I don't think you can do that with a criminal record..."

She added: "I don't know if it's the right decision. My husband says it's the wrong decision. If it was just me, if I didn't have any dependance I would go."

However, during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Monday, she insisted she will do everything in her power to keep the conversation going about assisted dying. She said: "If it gets lost, I will scream and shout and throw a tantrum on Downing Street's front step. I was there to hand the petition. I know how to get there. I'm on good terms with the guards."

Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley cheekily quipped: "You are your mother's daughter."

Read more

• MPs to debate assisted dying after campaign backed by Dame Esther Rantzen (Sky News, 3-min read)