Esther Ranzen says she is too fragile to travel to Switzerland to end life

Dame Esther Rantzen has said she is now too physically fragile to travel to Switzerland to end her life at an assisted suicide clinic. The 86-year-old veteran broadcaster and campaigner, who is terminally ill with stage four lung cancer, joined the Dignitas clinic about a year after her diagnosis. She initially hoped to travel to Switzerland alone, but her life became unbearable before she could make the journey. Dame Esther used her statement on Thursday to reiterate a plea for MPs to vote in favour of legalising assisted suicide in England and Wales. The law, which she describes as 'messy and cruel', currently considers helping someone end their life a criminal offence. MPs are considering a draft law that would make it legal for people with less than six months to live. Dame Esther added that she is now facing 'everything I didn't want to happen', with loved ones unable to visit her or see her in pain. The prominent campaigner is among several leading figures in favour of the bill, but there are also campaigners against it, including Baroness Grey-Thompson. The bill has been through several drafts and has been scrutinised by several Parliamentary committees and the House of Lords. Dame Esther's pleas come as Parliament is set to revisit proposed legislation on Friday.