“You support a death cult? You and your friend Esther Rantzen.” The ugly moment when an opponent of assisted dying confronted Jonathan Dimbleby is exposed in a new Express documentary.
Filmed over eight months, the 40-minute film follows the fight to change the law through the heartbreaking stories of those affected by terminal illness and traumatic deaths.
Mr Dimbleby’s interview was filmed in April, when hundreds of people gathered outside Parliament to show their support for assisted dying as MPs took part in a three-hour Westminster Hall debate.
The broadcaster, 80, told the Express he was joining the rally in memory of his younger brother who died of motor neurone disease.
Mr Dimbleby said Nicholas “wanted to have the right to an assisted death, wanted me to put my head above the parapet if you like and talk about it, and why I believe it.
An irate protestor interrupted Mr Dimbleby mid-interview (Image: Dan Dove)
“My urge to do that was strongly reinforced by what I saw him go through as his body withered around his brain and his mind.
“I just think that the time has come for those many people who have similar situations in their own lives…to know that the law will change – and I think it will.”
Mr Dimbleby was discussing the importance of a robust debate when the interview was interrupted by an opponent from a nearby anti-assisted dying protest, who accused him of supporting “a death cult”.
He replied: “I don’t see it like that. I quite like life myself.” In a mocking tone, the woman said: “Until it hurts? Is that it? It hurts and then it’s like, end it now, end it now.”
Mr Dimbleby calmly continued: “I try not to speak in any aggressive way and I won’t to you, but I am having a conversation with someone so do forgive me.”
The tense exchange highlighted the strength of feeling among opponents, including some who seek to paint supporters of assisted dying as would-be murderers.
Phil Newby discussed the law with daughter Sasha (Image: Dan Dove)
Other powerful moments in the documentary – part of the Express crusade – include a conversation between terminally ill father-of two Phil Newby and his daughter Sasha, 21.
The pair discussed the “painful memory” of his diagnosis nine years earlier and how he and wife Charlotte broke the news.
Phil previously challenged the UK’s ban on assisted dying but his case was rejected by both the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Discussing efforts to change the law, Sasha told her dad: “For the assisted dying restrictions, they are so tight for what you want.
“You’re not asking for the world, you’re just asking for a very small thing in the whole scheme of things, and that is just to be dignified and end suffering. I don’t see why someone would disagree with wanting to end suffering.
“One day you might have to be put in that situation and if you are, you want to know that there is a choice. You don’t have to do it, but it’s good to know that there is that safety net of a choice.”
Ilana spoke about the stress of accompanying her husband to Dignitas (Image: Dan Dove)
Phil added: “As your mum often says, this is about shortening death. It’s not about taking away life.”
Ilana Richardson also shared her experience of accompanying her husband Crispin to Dignitas after his MND progressed to the point where he no longer wanted to endure it.
She said: “It was of course a very difficult process altogether. We knew that it was completely against the law to help him, and without me he couldn’t have done it.”
The pair kept the trip in August 2019 secret from all but a few close friends. Ilana added: “It was the most difficult and stressful time in my life I’ve ever experienced, to organise something like that. Towards the end I wasn’t able to eat or sleep.
“I very much hope the law will change so if ever I need that, I can die in peace in my own bed and not have to travel far away somewhere in secret.”
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We are asking our loyal readers to support Dame Esther Rantzen and other terminally ill people who want greater choice at the end of life by writing to your MP and asking them to support the
Introduced in the House of Commons by Kim Leadbeater MP, MPs will debate it on November 29 – but this Bill will only pass if enough MPs vote in support.