Esther Rantzen's That's Life stars now - problem 'moobs' to tragic death

Daily Mirror

10-05-2025

It's been three decades since That's Life! was on our TV screens, but the Esther Rantzen-fronted show is still fondly remembered by many - what became of its many stars?
That's Life! was a TV institution – one of the biggest shows of its time, regularly watched by more than 20 million viewers. A bizarre mix of campaigning consumer affairs, rudely-shaped garden vegetables and a dog who could say "sausages", it was launched in 1973 and ran for 21 years, until it was eventually axed in 1994.
At the helm was the indomitable Esther Rantzen, later made a Dame, who presented alongside a string of co-hosts including Gavin Campbell, Doc Cox, Joanna Monro, Chris Serle and Howard Leader.
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Memorable moments from the show pervaded everyday life, with singer Allison Jordan winning a search for a star competition in an early precursor to The X Factor, even being awarded a recording contract with Simon Cowell. A campaign against child abuse also led to Esther famously establishing the helpline Childline, while a weekly jobsworth hat was awarded to officious members of the public who enforced seemingly-pointless rules because it was 'more than their job was worth not to.'
Add into the mix the carrots that looked like penises, or parsnips resembling vaginas, and a dog who famously – and not particularly coherently – said the word 'sausages', and you have some idea of why the studio audience was either in hysterics or floods of tears during each week's episode.
'Our clout came from the size of our audience,' Esther told The Guardian, 'which meant that decision-makers, even prime ministers, knew we were watched by the people they answered to. It helped that Sunday night was the evening MPs were most likely to watch TV.'
But what became of That's Life!'s many presenters? Mirror takes a look at the lives and careers of some of its best-loved faces....
Esther Rantzen
Esther, now 84, devised the show alongside two other co-creators. Sadly, in January 2023 she revealed she has lung cancer and later said she wanted to die at Swiss clinic Dignitas, while campaigning for assisted dying.
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However, in March this year her daughter Rebecca Wilcox said Esther was now too unwell to travel to Switzerland for the death she wanted, and that her mum's life-preserving drugs were no longer working.
Speaking of her proudest achievements in life, Esther said: 'Childline has made such a difference to millions of children. So has the Silver Line Helpline for isolated and vulnerable older people. And I'm delighted that people are still moved and inspired by the moment on That's Life! when we introduced Sir Nicholas Winton to the children he saved from the Holocaust. I consider myself so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time with the right brilliant teams.'
Joanna Monro
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Actress Joanna, 69, was on That's Life! for just two years – from 1982 to 1984. She went on to become a theatre star, playing the part of Rosie in the ABBA musical Mamma Mia, spending five years in the show in London's West End, as well as on tour. She is married to Granville Saxton, best known for playing a Death Eater in the Harry Potter franchise.
Doc Cox
Doc, 78, started on That's Life! as the show's warm-up man for 10 years, before switching to a role in front of the cameras, remembering: "Someone didn't turn up for one of the auditions or something, and I was sort of pushed in".
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He's also known by the stage name Ivor Biggun and has released four albums of humorous, smutty songs. One of his singles was NME's single of the week in the late 1970s and reached No 22 in the UK charts.
Bill Buckley
Bill, 66, presented the show from 1982 to 1985, having been chosen from a list of thousands while he was working as a newspaper reporter. He went on to appear on the BBC's Holiday programme as well as gameshows including Blankety Blank, Call My Bluff and All Star Secrets. When Channel 5 launched in 1997, he was a senior continuity announcer for more than five years and became a presenter on local radio.
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Bill has also spoken out about his struggle with 'moobs' – a condition called gynacomastia – where men develop female-type breasts even if they are not overweight or out of condition. He said: "I suffered from this until I had my moobs removed at the age of 40 and am always looking for opportunities to 'bang the drum' about corrective surgery."
Howard Leader
Howard appeared on TV in shows including the popular sitcom 'Allo 'Allo before joining That's Life! for it's final five years before it was axed. He went on to present for BBC local radio, including BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
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Gavin Campbell
Gavin, 79, presented the show from 1982 until its end in 1994, having previously appeared in the film adaptation of TV show On The Buses. In the 1997 general election, he presented a video for Referendum Party, supporting the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
Since 2003, he has been part of a company that imports wine, having retired from showbiz.
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Chris Serle
Chris sadly died in September last year, at the age of 81, as the BBC paid tribute to a "familiar and cherished figure on British television screens throughout the 1970s and 1980s". His broadcasting journey included stints presenting In at the Deep End and Points of View for the corporation. He was also at the helm of Radio 4's Pick of the Week from 1981 to 1988, and entertained listeners on his long-running afternoon show on BBC Radio Bristol.
Chris's list of prominent shows further includes Windmill, treasured for revisiting archived BBC clips of hit series such as Blue Peter and Doctor Who. He was seen in The Computer Programme, which aired in 1982, and later in Monkey Business.
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Adrian Mills
Adrian, 68, appeared on the show for seven years, until 1984. He later went on to be a location reporter on Cilla Black 's dating show Surprise, Surprise and became the face of the BBC's daytime TV schedule.
He also presented a series of podcasts, reuniting with Esther Rantzen, called That's Afterlife. He is currently the consumer expert on TalkTV and is the co-owner of Thai Tho, a Thai restaurant located in Wimbledon, London, awarded the Open Table Diners' Choice Award in 2024.
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Mollie Sugden
Actress Mollie, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 86, was best known for starring in the beloved TV sitcom Are You Being Served? She also famously appeared in other shows including Coronation Street, The Liver Birds, That's My Boy and even Little Britain, alongside David Walliams and Matt Lucas.
But many TV fans don't know that Mollie also had her own slot on That's Life!, with a 23-week stint in 1986.
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Mollie died of unspecified heart failure – her final appearance in public coming at the funeral of her Are You Being Served? co-star Wendy Richard, also known for playing Pauline Fowler on EastEnders, just a few months earlier.
Simon Fanshawe
Simon won the Perrier Comedy Award in 1989 and joined That's Life! in 1990. After leaving the series he went on to become a co-founder of the LGBT charity Stonewall and still presents on TV. The 68 year old lives in Brighton with his husband.
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Cyril Fletcher
Cyril was an English comedian, broadcaster and panto star, amongst other things - and brought his 'Odd Odes' to That's Life! in 1973, also reading humorous cuttings and getting involved in the campaigning journalism of the show, staying until 1981.
He died in his sleep in January 2005 at the age of 91, after a short illness, with his wife passing away less than seven months later.
Maev Alexander
Maev is a Scottish television and stage actress known for her roles in The Gentle Touch, Sutherland's Law, Holding The Fort and The New Avengers. She joined the That's Life! presenting team for several years, before going on to star in a romantic thriller alongside Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones.