Dame Esther Rantzen and her little sister Scilla grew up in London and - briefly - New York, where Esther got a taste for life in the limelight. Since 1981, Scilla has lived in Australia, which leaves a "real gap" in Esther's life. Technology helps the pair stay in touch and they talk all the time, staying close to their nieces and nephews, too. Brought up by their anarchist mum and engineer dad to be ambitious, the sisters pursued very different paths, but have supported each other regardless. As kids Esther may have stood up for Scilla many times, but also used her as a bit of a willing 'canary down the mine' .. !

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