My stage 4 cancer has made me realise how lucky I've been in my life.. I am so grateful

Dame Esther Rantzen insists she is "not good at regrets". It is something she has mused on a lot since she was diagnosed with lung cancer in January.

- EMILY RETTER

But no, she concludes, she only feels grateful as she looks back on a long life and six-decade career.

The 82-year-old, who released a statement about her illness "because I find it difficult to skulk around various hospitals wearing an unconvincing disguise", now reveals she is facing stage 4 cancer.

Speaking for the first time about her treatment, she says: "I'm on one of the new medications, and nobody knows if it's working or not.

"But I will have a scan fairly soon which will reveal one way or another."

Yet, while facing the cancer at its most grave is desperately challenging for the TV host and Childline and Silver Line founder, the feeling of gratitude persists.

Since her diagnosis, she has found herself looking back on her work, achievements, family and friends, not least the 21 years she spent presenting That's Life! The hit BBC consumer show launched 50 years ago today, giving her all the more reason to reflect.

"My diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer made me realise how very lucky I've been in my life, working with Childline and the Silver Line, and meeting so many fascinating and inspiring people, and especially lucky to have spent 21 years working as producer/presenter of That's Life!" she says.

I'm not good at regrets. What I treasure most are the fantastic friendships I have made thanks to That's Life! during the last 50 years, the people I met, and the team who worked so hard, and laughed so hard, together for so long." Esther, whose TV producer husband Desmond Wilcox died in 2000, not only appeared as presenter on the very first show in 1973, she coined its name.

"Pardon me boasting, I came up with the title," laughs the mother of three and grandmother of five.

Back then she hosted with actor George Layton and Nationwide presenter Bob Wellings. She "loved it" and stayed on. She had been a reporter on consumer show Braden's Week, which inspired That's Life!