In January this year, the TV presenter, who founded the charities ChildLine and The Silver Line, revealed that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer which had ‘spread’, but remained ‘optimistic’.
A few months later, she was forced to miss an appearance on The One Show due to the condition, before later disclosing that it was stage 4.
Last week, the beloved media personality spoke in more detail about her health in a pre-recorded interview with Alex Jones, explaining that her doctor told her that she was likely going to die within the next 10 years.
‘It does concentrate your mind to be told you’ve got to stage 4 lung cancer. You do think, “Well, wait a minute. I’ve got less time than maybe I had assumed so you prioritise,”’ she said.
Angela has spoken about how her friend is doing in a new interview, outlining that the last time that they had a ‘lengthy conversation’, Dame Esther was ‘very happy’.
‘She’s dealing with it as Esther would. She’s happy,’ the newsreader and presenter told The Mirror.
‘The last time we had any lengthy conversation, she was very happy being in her home in the country with her family around her. And that now is where she’s happy.’
The 78-year-old continued: ‘She’s got family around her, friends around her and she dictates when she’s happy to talk.’
Angela also paid homage to Dame Esther’s incredible charity work, describing her as a ‘titan’ for her support of children and people who were retired with the organisations that she founded.
During a recent interview, Dame Esther admitted that during a trip to the doctor for a scan, she was mistaken for Angela, which was a catalyst for making her decide to share her diagnosis publicly.
‘On my way to one of the scans in the hospital I was recognised in a lift by another patient. Admittedly, she thought I was Angela Rippon, but that was fairly close, and I was flattered,’ she told The Times.
‘But it made me realise that one way or another the news would leak, probably inaccurately. And I’ve learnt that trying to keep a secret never works.
‘It just means that you are caught unprepared and on the back foot. Far better to break a piece of news yourself.’
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MORE : Dame Esther Rantzen shares how long she has left to live after lung cancer diagnosis
MORE : Dame Esther Rantzen, 82, reveals her lung cancer is now stage 4: ‘It’s made me realise how very lucky I’ve been’
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