ESTHER RANTZEN is best known for presenting BBC consumer show That's Life, through which she established children's charity ChildLine.

The show's combination of heart warming stories, comic misshapen vegetables and hard hitting investigative journalism, ensured it was part of television schedules for 21 years.

During its two-decade run That's Life successfully campaigned for rear seatbelts in cars, raised awareness of the need for child organ transplants and highlighted countless scams and dodgy dealings.

In 1986 the show appealed for help in conducting a survey on child abuse. When a temporary help line set up after the show became jammed with callers - many pouring out their stories for the first time - the seeds of ChildLine were planted.

Since then the free and confidential phone line has provided a support system for millions of children and young people.

Rantzen's work with the charity earned her a CBE last year.

Her other projects include BBC show Hearts of Gold and her Bafta-nominated talk show, Esther.

Rantzen won Bafta's Richard Dimbleby Award for factual TV in 1988 and became a member of the Royal Television Society's hall of fame in 1997.

More recently the broadcaster appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and in television dating programme Would Like to Meet.

However, she said at the time she was not looking for a replacement for her late husband, documentary filmmaker Desmond Wilcox.

Name: Esther Rantzen Occupation: Broadcaster and charity campaigner Date of Birth: June 22, 1940 LOCAL LINK: Has a home in the New Forest near Bramshaw