Esther Rantzen reveals why the likes of Jeremy Clarkson have brought her television that gives her hope

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As the nights get longer, darker, and colder, and summer feels like a distant memory, we can all be grateful for the return of Strictly Come Dancing and its dazzling costumes. While TV often gets criticized for being low-quality or focusing on drama, it’s important to remember that it can also bring joy and positivity into our lives.

Strictly Come Dancing returning definitely makes the winter months more enjoyable. This highlights how much of a difference television makes to so many people, especially those who live alone or have difficulty leaving home. It offers companionship, a good time, and truly excellent entertainment.

It also has the ability to genuinely change how we think and feel. When Chris McCausland competed on and won the last season of Strictly, he shattered common misconceptions about blindness and powerfully demonstrated how important it is to provide opportunities for everyone to experience life and have adventures.

I have to admit, even though I wasn’t always hooked on Top Gear, I’ve always enjoyed Jeremy Clarkson‘s presenting style – he’s just got a knack for it. But *Clarkson’s Farm*? That’s something else entirely. It’s really opened my eyes – and I suspect a lot of other city dwellers’ – to just how much work goes into running a farm and getting food on our tables. It’s a surprisingly honest look at the struggles, and it’s shown me a side of Clarkson I hadn’t really seen before – a genuinely challenged and relatable one.

I initially thought the TV show ‘Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams’ wouldn’t appeal to me – I’ve never been a cricket fan. But I was completely mistaken! The show just finished its third season, and I highly recommend checking it out on BBC iPlayer if you haven’t seen it.

I was completely captivated by Freddie’s dedication to helping young people thrive through cricket – I didn’t want the series to finish! He didn’t just improve their cricket skills; he left a lasting, positive impact and set a great example for others who create similar programs.

Having created the long-running show *That’s Life!*, I’ve often thought about what made it so successful. A big part of it was that Freddie addressed a real issue: many children and young people lack opportunities to build confidence and achieve things, which can lead to problems at school and a bleak outlook on life.

At Childline, we often hear from the young people involved in this program, and it was truly inspiring to see Freddie’s team grow into confident individuals excited about their futures. What was also remarkable was Freddie’s own bravery and dedication – he openly shared his struggles following a serious car accident and showed vulnerability to the children he helped, and to all of us.

It’s often frustrating when TV channels use celebrities as if they’re simply puppets – putting them in unfamiliar situations or expecting them to bring viewers from other platforms. This is especially annoying when these so-called ‘stars’ are only famous for a short time thanks to minor reality TV appearances.

Can television make a difference?

Absolutely. While broadcasting traditionally aimed to entertain and inform, I believe there’s also incredible joy in seeing people dedicated to their craft surpass even their own expectations. That’s a truly inspiring thing, and it offers hope to us all.

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2025-10-07 03:36