BBC director general Matt Brittin also paid tribute to Dame Esther, describing her as a “legend of British broadcasting” whose contribution to public life was “immeasurable”.
“Her warmth, spirit and fight for justice and action that we saw on our screens continued long after the programme ended, with a lifetime of campaigning where she changed the lives of millions,” he said.
Fellow broadcaster and money saving expert Martin Lewis called Dame Esther an “inspiration” and a “pioneer” whose “impact and memory will long continue to shine”.
Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, which runs Childline, said Dame Esther had gone to “exceptional lengths to ensure children and young people across the UK had somewhere to turn when they were in need of help”.
Dame Esther set up the telephone helpline in 1986 after featuring a number of incidents of child abuse and neglect on That’s Life! and realising that many children had nowhere to turn.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Friel said: “The legacy that Dame Esther created when she created Childline is something quite incredible. She changed how society looked upon children.”
He added: “When she decided she had a vision or something had to be done or had to be changed, she was quite a force.”
