![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/happily-married-couple-esther-rantzen-867269763.jpg\")
<\/p>\nESTHER Rantzen became a household name in the 70s, thanks to her career as a TV presenter.<\/p>\n
But it was during her rise to fame that she met her beloved late husband, Desmond Wilcox.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Born on May 21, 1931, Desmond John Wilcox was a British television producer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and television executive.<\/p>\n
He worked at the BBC and ITV during his career and was producer of shows like This Week, Man Alive, and That's Life!.<\/p>\n
Sadly, he passed away in 2000 from heart disease.<\/p>\n
At the time of his death, his wife Esther Rantzen spoke of how she had spent the "best years" of her life by his side.<\/p>\n
She said: "I had 32 of the best years of my life with him.<\/p>\n "He radiated warmth and light into our lives and for the moment we fear that we have lost the sunshine we depended on."<\/p>\n Over the years, Esther has often spoken about her late husband and the grief she still feels at his loss.<\/p>\n Talking to the Daily Mail in 2013, she explained: "Desmond's last words to me were, 'I adore you.' I was sitting on his deathbed."<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n She continued: "I will take those words with me to the grave.<\/p>\n "I said to my son last night, 'If God gave me the choice between\u00a010 more\u00a0years of life and 10 more minutes with Desi, I would pick those 10 minutes.'"<\/p>\n In 2021, Esther said\u00a0she felt "stuck" after Desmond died.<\/p>\n Speaking to the Express, she said: "It's a bit like wandering around for ages and ages and ages with a plaster cast on and eventually being persuaded to take it off.<\/p>\n "Maybe I think the present and the future<\/span> now are more important to me than the past.<\/p>\n "You never lose\u00a0the pain, but it\u00a0has this wonderful context of a celebration, it's a really good feeling."<\/p>\n Desmond kicked off his TV career as a reporter on ITV's This Week current affairs programme, before joining the Beeb.<\/p>\n He was co-editor and presenter of the landmark Man Alive series in 1965. <\/p>\n Desmond later formed the Man Alive Unit as well as providing the distinctive voice-over in the weekly current-affairs programme TEMPO.<\/p>\n He was also a producer on his wife Esther's famous show, That's Life.<\/p>\n Before Esther, Desmond had been married once before.<\/p>\n His first wife was Patsy Price, and they were wed for 23 years from 1954 until 1977.<\/p>\n Desmond left Patsy for Esther after they had an eight year affair.<\/p>\n During his life, Desmond had six children.<\/p>\n With his first wife, he welcomed Claire, Adam, and Cassandra.<\/p>\n Desmond then had another three children with Esther – Emily, Rebecca, and Josh.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/07348ec7-1958-409e-9388-ee9213c6f904.jpg\")
<\/picture>MEET THE KIDS <\/span><\/p>\nInside the lives of TV legend Esther Rantzen's children<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-mo5kgb8p9-1702976580092.jpg\")
<\/picture>ESTHER'S FIGHT <\/span><\/p>\nInside Esther Rantzen's battle with terminal cancer & her Dignitas\u00a0decision<\/h3>\n
Most read in News TV<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-lnr9lw0o1-1702971226614.jpg\")
<\/picture>‘DOESN’T LOOK GOOD’ <\/span><\/p>\nKate Garraway’s husband Derek isn’t in a ‘good way’, her co-star says<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/dk-page12-esther_COMP-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>GO WITH DIGNITY <\/span><\/p>\nTV legend Esther Rantzen, 83, may end life at Dignitas after cancer battle<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/crop-25096263.jpg\")
<\/picture>WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? <\/span><\/p>\nBizarre twist after Question of Sport ‘axing’ as show could RETURN<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-b3azout6w-1702917632345.jpg\")
<\/picture>PETE’S SAKE <\/span><\/p>\nPete Wicks breaks silence on \u2018bedding I\u2019m A Celebrity wives\u2019 after boozy nights<\/h3>\n
What was Desmond Wilcox's role at the BBC?<\/h2>\n
Who was Desmond Wilcox's first wife Patsy?<\/h2>\n
How many children did Desmond Wilcox have?<\/h2>\n