In a new Channel 5 documentary broadcast this evening, Dame Esther Rantzen explores life after the loss of a loved one.

Esther Rantzen: Living with Grief examines the experience of bereavement and coping with grief. Twenty years after losing her husband Desmond Wilcox, Esther enlists the help of six individuals, each with a very different story to tell, in a personal and candid exploration of what it’s really like to deal with grief.

In the documentary, Esther and her fellow bereaved confidantes reveal what it’s like to lose someone you love and tear up the rule book on bereavement. With unflinching honesty, they discuss what is uniquely individual and discover how much is shared. From the death of a loved one to the first anniversary, and from mourning to finding ways to celebrate through stories and memories. Esther takes a journey through life after loss and challenges her approach to her own bereavement.

With just 12% of brain tumour patients surviving beyond five years of their diagnosis, too many families know too well the devastation caused by the disease. This emotional and ultimately uplifting documentary recognises that there are no rules when it comes to losing a loved one.

You can tune in to Esther Rantzen: Living with Grief on Channel Five tonight at 10pm.

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