Latest news with #TerminallyIllAdults(endoflife)Bill
Metro
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Joanna Lumley considers assisted dying if she's left in 'miserable' state
Joanna Lumley has opened up about her thoughts when it comes to the assisted dying bill in the UK. The 79-year-old star has revealed in a new interview that she would consider voluntary euthanasia if she were unable to look after herself. 'People are terribly anxious about it and think one may be coerced (into voluntary euthanasia),' she said when asked about the bill in an interview with Saga magazine. 'But I'm saying this now when nobody's coercing me, don't let me turn into somebody who doesn't recognise the people I love most, where I'm having a miserable time. She added that she felt if she were unable to communicate or feed herself, it could be time to go. 'When I get to the stage where I can't speak and have to be fed, that won't be me any more, and that's when I wouldn't mind saying farewell.' The Terminally Ill Adults (end of life) Bill – also known as the Assisted Dying Bill was backed by MPs in the House of Commons last month. The bill would allow terminally ill adults with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death. It would mean that those wishing to die with assisted dying would need to get approval from two doctors, and a panel of experts including a social worker, psychiatrist and senior legal figure. The House of Lords is set to debate and vote on the bill in the next stage of passing it. Dame Ester Rantzen, who has terminal cancer, has been one of the high-profile backers of the new bill and has urged members of the House of Lords not to block the legislation. Dame Joanna has now spoken about her mortality before, saying that she doesn't want to look back and feel she's wasted her time. More Trending 'As you near the top of the hill, you suddenly think, 'Gosh, there's not all that amount of time left',' she said. 'My time must be coming quite soon, and I don't want to have wasted a minute of being on this beautiful planet.' Speaking to My Weekly, she also urged young people to worry less, adding: 'I used to panic when I was young, but as I've got older, I've started literally to live day to day. 'With age, you work out what matters. I always knew that good stuff would come along when I was older. When I was 18, I longed to be 30. When I was 30, I longed to be 50. We mustn't be led into thinking getting old is bad. Growing old is good.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Inventor of the 'Tesla' of suicide pods 'vows to bring device to UK'
Metro
16-05-2025
- Health
- Metro
Dame Esther Rantzen has ‘no idea what's coming' in illness update from daughter
Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter has said her mother has 'no idea what's coming' with her terminal illness. On Friday, MPs are debating the Terminally Ill Adults (end of life) Bill – also know as the Assisted Dying Bill – after 150 changes were made to the legislation following its passing at second reading in November. Dame Esther revealed in 2023 that she had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Speaking outside Parliament where campaigners for and against the bill posed with placards, Rebecca Wilcox pleaded her 84-year-old mother's case after the TV star, activist and Childline founder backed the bill. Rebecca told the PA news agency: 'I'm just hoping that the MPs today see common sense that we should have choice at the end of our lives. We should be able to have a pain-free, caring, compassionate death. 'I only wish I could get that from my mother, and I know that the peace of mind that would come with that would be huge, because that's what's missing from her life at the moment, she has no idea what's coming around the corner. 'She has no idea how her body is going to respond to the cancer.' If the legislation remains unchanged, and euthanasia will still illegal in the UK. Rebecca was emotional as she spoke about her mother, briefly pausing as she wiped away tears, while insisting she's worried Dame Esther will have a 'traumatic death' if the bill isn't passed. The Assisted Dying Bill is officially known as the Terminally Ill Adults (end of life) Bill If passed, it would allow terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to die The approval from two doctors and an expert panel would be required The final and decisive votes are expected after another debate on June 13 'I don't want to witness that, she doesn't want us to witness that,' Rebecca said of seeing her mother suffering. 'She's terrified that our memories of her – and they are such good memories – will be destroyed by a bad death, and so she's asking for choice for everybody.' Rebecca said her mother 'believes in compassion and kindness', and 'has campaigned for that in various forms'. She added: 'She's campaigned for that for children, she's campaigned for that for old people – now this campaign is about the end of our lives.' More than 100 campaigners opposing the assisted dying legislation gathered outside Parliament, with demonstrators holding placards bearing the words 'assist us in living not dying' and 'kill the Bill not the ill'. Campaigners also held posters in the shape of tombstones and were addressed by speakers including one from the group Christian Concern. More Trending During the debate this morning, Labour MP Jess Asato criticised Dame Esther for her 'distasteful and disrespectful' comments about those who disagree with the bill. She said: 'Will (Kim Leadbeater) distance herself from the correspondence from Dame Esther Rantzen, who accuses those of us who have concerns about the Bill as having undeclared religious beliefs. Many colleagues found this distasteful and disrespectful.' Kim Leadbeater, who has introduced bill, replied: 'I haven't seen those comments, but it's absolutely right that whatever our views are, whatever our views are on this issue, we must remain respectful.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Widow who helped husband's suicide at Dignitas says she has 'no regrets'
