How That's Life! gave Esther Rantzen a career-defining moment
Summary
Dame Esther Rantzen hosted the BBC show That's Life! from 1973 to 1994 and highlighted the story of Sir Nicholas Winton in a 1988 episode. Winton rescued 669 mainly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1939, a heroic act that became widely known when featured on the show.Key Facts
- Dame Esther Rantzen founded Childline, a helpline for children, and The Silver Line, which supports lonely older people.
- She transformed That's Life! from a consumer rights show into one focused on important social issues.
- Sir Nicholas Winton organized the rescue of 669 children from Czechoslovakia before WWII.
- Winton helped mainly Jewish children escape Nazi occupation by arranging travel and finding homes in Britain.
- The rescue was possible due to a UK Parliament decision allowing young refugees to enter Britain.
- Winton remained mostly unknown for nearly 50 years until a scrapbook with children's names was found.
- His story was aired on That's Life! in 1988, where two women he saved surprised him on live TV.
- Winton was knighted in 2003 for his humanitarian work.
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