ONE of TV’s most recognisable faces has helped kick of Bradford’s Golden Years Film Festival this afternoon.

Dame Esther Rantzen, journalist, presenter and founder of Childline, visited the city to take part in the first event of this year’s six day festival - which is run by Bradford City of Film and aimed at the older generation.

During the Audience with Esther Rantzen event, held at the Pictureville Cinema in the National Science and Media Museum, the veteran broadcaster discussed her time presenting That’s Life, her family and upbringing, and her new project Silver Line. The 24 hour helpline was set up to give older people someone to call if they feel lonely or isolated.

The event was hosted by David Wilson, Director of Bradford City Of Film, and he asked Mrs Rantzen about her career highs and lows.

The audience were shown clips from That's Life, which was at one time viewed by 18 million people, including one of Prince, the talking dog, a clip which Mrs Rantzen jokingly referred to as "one of the finest ever moments of broadcast television."

A clip was also played of the show where Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of children from the Holocaust, met many of the children he saved for the first time as adults - clips of which have found a second life after going "viral" on Facebook.

Mr Wilson asked about how if felt when Mrs Rantzen's appearance was mocked by many in the media. She said: "It was mainly the teeth! The first time I encountered any criticism like this was when I saw a copy of The Sun where they tore me to shreds, not because of what I did, but because of what I looked like. I couldn't believe it. I think women have it much worse. Now it happens online, you see some appalling things said about people."

Mr Wilson asked if, after an already esteemed career, there was anything she still wanted to achieve, she said she would like to see the law changed to allow children to have greater access to grandparents, especially in cases where their parents have split up, and one may have sole custody.

When one member of the audience asked Mrs Rantzen whether she had encountered many older people who felt isolated by modern technology, she said: "A lot of the people who do call Silver Line are uncomfortable with the internet and computers, that is why they prefer to talk on the phone. I can understand it. But you have to look at it like driving, more people are killed by cars than anything else, but driving opens up your world.

"The internet can be a dangerous place, but it also opens a new world up to you. You just have to find ways of using it safely."

Tomorrow the festival will include a screening of Lost City, a 1958 BBC documentary film about J.B.Priestley touring Bradford, and a screening of Some Like It Hot in Clayton Village Hall.

Other highlights of the coming week include a sing a long screening of Calamity Jane at Pictureville on Tuesday, a dementia friendly screening of Jailhouse Rock on Wednesday and a triple bill of Laurel and Hardy films at the Bradford Club, on Wednesday evening.

The festival was launched last year.

For a full line up of events, visit bradford-city-of-film.com/enjoy/golden-years-film-festival/