Latest news with #DamePrueLeith
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Campaigners for and against assisted dying make feelings known at Westminster
Campaigners on both sides of the assisted dying debate voiced their opinions as they gathered outside Parliament ahead of a crunch vote on Friday. Dame Prue Leith, Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, and the broadcaster, Jonathan Dimbleby, were among the high-profile figures supporting the Bill to change the law in England and Wales. Members of the Dignity in Dying campaign wore pink and held placards in memory of friends and family members. Those opposed to the Bill included groups dressed as scientists in white lab coats and bloodied gloves and masks, as well as nuns and other members of religious organisations. The mood amongst campaigners was largely calm and respectful on both sides. Dame Prue told the PA news agency she was 'both nervous and confident' about the outcome. 'It's so moving to see all these people with placards of people they've lost or people who are dying of cancer,' she said. 'It's hard not to cry because I think they have done such a good job. Let's hope we've won.' Mr Dimbleby said he believed the Bill would be 'transformative'. He added: 'What it will mean is millions of people will be able to say to themselves, 'If I'm terminally ill, I will be able to choose, assuming I am of sound mind and I am not being coerced, to say 'Yes, I want to be assisted – I have dignity in death'.' Rebecca Wilcox, the daughter of Dame Esther, said: 'It couldn't be a kinder, more compassionate Bill that respects choice at the end of life, that respects kindness and empathy and gives us all an option when other options, every other option, has been taken away, and it would just be the perfect tool for a palliative care doctor to have in their med bag.' Teachers Catie and Becky Fenner said they wanted other families to benefit from the Bill. Their mother, who had motor neurone disease, had flown to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her life at a cost of £15,000. The sisters said they did not get to properly say goodbye and grieve and worried about the legal repercussions. Catie, 37, said: 'We were left quite traumatised by the whole experience – not only seeing a parent go through a really horrible disease but then the secrecy of the planning.' Campaigners against the Bill, who were gathered outside Parliament, chanted 'We are not dead yet' and 'Kill the Bill, not the ill'. A display was erected with a gravestone reading 'RIP: The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Bury it deep', and behind were two mounds meant to resemble graves. Andrew Hilliard, 75, said he was opposed for religious reasons. He was dressed in a white lab coat with a placard reading: 'Protect our NHS from becoming the National Suicide Service'. The chief executive of Care Not Killing, Dr Gordon Macdonald, said MPs should prioritise improving palliative care. He said: 'Most people, when thinking about the practical implications of this, for those most vulnerable, they change their minds.' George Fielding, a campaigner affiliated with the Not Dead Yet group which is opposed to assisted dying, said he attended to represent disabled people. He said: 'This Bill will endanger and shorten the lives of disabled people.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Campaigners for and against assisted dying make feelings known at Westminster
Campaigners on both sides of the assisted dying debate voiced their opinions as they gathered outside Parliament ahead of a crunch vote on Friday. Dame Prue Leith, Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, and the broadcaster, Jonathan Dimbleby, were among the high-profile figures supporting the Bill to change the law in England and Wales. Members of the Dignity in Dying campaign wore pink and held placards in memory of friends and family members. Those opposed to the Bill included groups dressed as scientists in white lab coats and bloodied gloves and masks, as well as nuns and other members of religious organisations. The mood amongst campaigners was largely calm and respectful on both sides. Dame Prue told the PA news agency she was 'both nervous and confident' about the outcome. 'It's so moving to see all these people with placards of people they've lost or people who are dying of cancer,' she said. 'It's hard not to cry because I think they have done such a good job. Let's hope we've won.' Mr Dimbleby said he believed the Bill would be 'transformative'. He added: 'What it will mean is millions of people will be able to say to themselves, 'If I'm terminally ill, I will be able to choose, assuming I am of sound mind and I am not being coerced, to say 'Yes, I want to be assisted – I have dignity in death'.' Rebecca Wilcox, the daughter of Dame Esther, said: 'It couldn't be a kinder, more compassionate Bill that respects choice at the end of life, that respects kindness and empathy and gives us all an option when other options, every other option, has been taken away, and it would just be the perfect tool for a palliative care doctor to have in their med bag.' Teachers Catie and Becky Fenner said they wanted other families to benefit from the Bill. Their mother, who had motor neurone disease, had flown to Dignitas in Switzerland to end her life at a cost of £15,000. The sisters said they did not get to properly say goodbye and grieve and worried about the legal repercussions. Catie, 37, said: 'We were left quite traumatised by the whole experience – not only seeing a parent go through a really horrible disease but then the secrecy of the planning.' Campaigners against the Bill, who were gathered outside Parliament, chanted 'We are not dead yet' and 'Kill the Bill, not the ill'. A display was erected with a gravestone reading 'RIP: The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Bury it deep', and behind were two mounds meant to resemble graves. Andrew Hilliard, 75, said he was opposed for religious reasons. He was dressed in a white lab coat with a placard reading: 'Protect our NHS from becoming the National Suicide Service'. The chief executive of Care Not Killing, Dr Gordon Macdonald, said MPs should prioritise improving palliative care. He said: 'Most people, when thinking about the practical implications of this, for those most vulnerable, they change their minds.' George Fielding, a campaigner affiliated with the Not Dead Yet group which is opposed to assisted dying, said he attended to represent disabled people. He said: 'This Bill will endanger and shorten the lives of disabled people.'
Times
22-05-2025
- General
- Times
A third of Britons feel guilty talking about death, poll shows
A third of Britons feel guilty discussing death openly because they do not want to burden others with their feelings or problems, research has found. In polling for The Times, one in three adults reported that they rarely shared their experiences of grief, while one in five said they 'bottle up' their feelings completely. The survey of 2,000 adults in the UK was commissioned for this year's Celebration Day, on May 26, which is dedicated to honouring the lives of loved ones who have died. The national day began in 2022 and is inspired by traditions such as Mexico's Day of the Dead, which aim to remember people in positive rather than sombre ways. Dame Prue Leith told The Times last week she would
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
GBBO's Prue Leith issues blunt response to husband's fear of being outlived
Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith has been married to John Playfair since 2016, following the death of her first husband Rayne Kruger Dame Prue Leith, the culinary legend from Great British Bake Off, has shared her husband's fears of adopting a new dog that might outlive him. The restaurateur and baking sensation has become a familiar face on our screens through her various TV stints. The 85-year-old is perhaps best known for her stint as a judge on Channel 4's Great British Bake Off, where she joins Paul Hollywood at the judging table. In her personal life, Dame Prue is married to John Playfair, whom she met at a dinner party in Yorkshire, following the death of her first husband Rayne Kruger. The couple tied the knot in 2016, and while they share a loving home with their two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, they're in discussions about whether or not they should add another furry friend to the mix. John voiced his concern that any new pet might outlive him, but Dame Prue has been having none of it, reportedly dismissing his apprehension with a firm: "What nonsense", when she spoke to the Times. In addition to this, the expert baker has been frank about her own age, expressing on the Travel Diaries podcast: "I haven't got much longer, I'm 85, I want to spend as much time as I can with him." The Bake Off judge has also discussed the dynamics of her relationship, praising her husband's down-to-earth nature. She said: "One of the wonderful things about him is that he is totally without ego, he doesn't feel threatened by the fact that I have a higher profile than he does, when I introduce him (to people) he always just says, 'I'm the handbag carrier, I'm her chauffeur'." Her journey in the culinary world began at the age of just 20 when she trained at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School. This led to an impressive career that includes launching her own restaurant. Dame Prue later joined The Great British Bake Off in 2017, when she replaced Dame Mary Berry. Eight years on, and she's started to talk about life after the popular baking programme. Speaking to the Mail On Sunday earlier this year, she admitted that she would take part in the 2025 edition, but didn't know if she would be around in future seasons. She explained: "I'm doing this year's Bake Off, and I don't know if this will be my last. I've got to stop some time, so I might stop next year. I thought I'd just see how I go this year, because I definitely feel a bit older this year than I did last year. "Things like getting out of a chair takes me longer than it used to. I don't like big steps without a handrail. None of these things worried me two years ago – I could run upstairs – and so I'm very keen to leave Bake Off before I'm asked to leave." Dame Prue has also graced screens on some of the nation's most cherished shows, including The Great British Menu and Prue's Cotswold Kitchen.
