Geri Halliwell-Horner pays poignant tribute to Childline founder Esther Rantzen on charity’s 40th anniversary

Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner has remembered the "inspirational" founder of Childline, Dame Esther Rantzen, as guests assembled to mark the organisation’s 40th anniversary.

The London event commemorating four decades of the charity took place on Wednesday, coming one week after the broadcaster and campaigner passed away at the age of 86 following a cancer diagnosis.

Halliwell-Horner, serving as a Childline ambassador, stated that Dame Esther had "worked tirelessly to found Childline 40 years ago" and "would want us to honour her work" by securing its future.

Her passing sparked widespread tributes from figures across public life, including Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who noted that she "changed countless lives and gave a voice to people who often went unheard".

Dame Esther, who hosted the BBC consumer affairs series That’s Life! for 21 years, established Childline to offer counselling to young people after a temporary helpline launched for viewers shocked by a story concerning a starved toddler was inundated with callers.

The calls mainly came from children suffering sexual abuse they had never been able to disclose to anyone else, giving Dame Esther the idea for a specific helpline for children, open 24/7 throughout the year.

Halliwell-Horner, addressing guests at the event ahead of Childline’s official 40th anniversary on October 30, said: “Of course, there’s no way to discuss the incredible work of Childline without mentioning the inspirational Dame Esther Rantzen, who worked tirelessly to found Childline 40 years ago.

“I first met Esther following the death of my dear friend George Michael in 2016. After George died, it was Esther who told me how much he had donated to the charity over the years and it blew me away.

“I wanted to continue George’s legacy and, after an encouraging conversation with Esther, approached the charity and soon became a Childline ambassador. I’m proud to have had the opportunity to work with volunteers and colleagues who help hundreds of thousands of children in need each year.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be friends with Esther for a decade, and I know how proud she was of Childline. I think it is so important that we work to continue her legacy.

“Children and young people need us more than ever and I know Esther would want us to honour her work and continue the vital, important work that Childline does.”

NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood described Dame Esther as a “unique, inspiring and truly remarkable woman” who had “dedicated so much of her time and energy to ensuring there was always somewhere to turn and someone to talk to for children in need of help”.

He said Wednesday’s event was an opportunity for people to come together “to pay their own tribute to Esther, look back over the last 40 years and look forward to the next decade and beyond for the service”.

Childline, now part of the NSPCC children’s charity, has delivered more than six million counselling sessions.

In 1986, the top concern that Childline counselled children about was sexual abuse (27% of calls and letters), but the biggest reason young people contact now – including through its online chat service – is mental and emotional health (33% of counselling sessions in 2025/26)

The charity also noted that artificial intelligence (AI), social media and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic had all been mentioned in contacts in recent years.