At nearly 80, Dame Joanna Lumley is still as thoughtful and outspoken as ever—this time, about something deeply personal: how she wants to live her final days.
Known and loved for her iconic role as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, Lumley has added her voice to the growing debate around assisted dying laws in the UK.
Why Lumley Supports the Assisted Dying Bill
In a recent interview with Saga Magazine, Lumley expressed support for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill—a controversial piece of legislation that would allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live to legally end their lives with medical help.
The bill cleared a key hurdle in the House of Commons last month, despite facing opposition from Labour ministers and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
It’s now headed for more debate in the House of Lords this autumn.
Lumley made her stance crystal clear: “I’m saying this now, when no one’s pressuring me—don’t let me turn into someone who can’t recognise the people I love,” she said.
“If I get to the point where my mind is gone and I have to be fed, that won’t be me anymore.
And I wouldn’t mind saying goodbye.”
Backing from Another National Treasure: Dame Esther Rantzen
Lumley isn’t the only household name advocating for change.
Dame Esther Rantzen, 85, who is battling terminal cancer, has also spoken passionately in favour of the bill.
She’s being supported by her daughter, TV presenter Rebecca Wilcox, and has urged the House of Lords not to stand in the way of those who want to die on their own terms.
A Personal Story That Reflects the Debate
The impact of Lumley’s public support has already been felt by campaigners like Louise Shackleton.
Shackleton, 58, is currently under investigation after accompanying her husband Anthony, 59, to Switzerland last December so he could have an assisted death following years of suffering from motor neurone disease.
As she prepared to bury her husband’s ashes on what would’ve been his 60th birthday, she shared how much Lumley’s words meant to her.
“He would’ve been overwhelmed,” she said. “Joanna’s courage to speak out gives a voice to the majority of people who agree with her but don’t have her platform.”
Opposing Voices Raise Deep Ethical Concerns
But not everyone agrees. Critics of the bill include Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Badenoch, though once supportive of the idea of assisted suicide, urged MPs to reject the bill, calling it “a bad Bill.”
Jenrick offered a deeply personal account of caring for his grandmother, Dorothy, during her final years.
Despite her diagnosis, she lived on for nearly a decade, bringing “joy to the family” and showing that there can still be dignity and meaning even in the most difficult moments.
“The idea of legalising assisted dying fills me with dread,” he wrote.
“People like my Nana, who already felt like a burden, might see this as a way to ease our pain. And that would be a terrible mistake.”
Diane Abbott Fears for the Vulnerable
Another firm opponent is veteran MP Diane Abbott, who warned that the bill—if passed in its current form—could put vulnerable people at risk.
“There is no doubt people will lose their lives who don’t need to, and they’ll be among the most marginalised in our society,” she told Parliament.
A National Debate That’s Only Just Beginning
With public figures, politicians, and everyday people weighing in from all sides, the conversation around assisted dying is more active—and more emotional—than ever.
The bill’s future is uncertain, but one thing is clear: it’s touching lives across the country and forcing the nation to ask difficult, but necessary, questions about choice, dignity, and what it means to live well—and die well.
