Popular TV star and campaigner Esther Rantzen is creating her own coat of arms, it can be revealed.

The ChildLine Founder, who has a home in Bramshaw in the New Forest, has enquired about designing the heraldic design to celebrate her long career.

The plan comes as she prepares to visit Buckingham Palace to officially be made a Dame.

The 74-year-old That’s Life! host received her Damehood in the Queen’s New Year's Honours list at the turn of the year for her charity work.

Now she has announced she is in talks with the Royal College of Arms about producing her own bespoke design based on her long career.

She told reporters: “I have asked them about how long it takes and the cost.

“The bad news is it could be a year and about £4,000.”

She revealed her ambition stems from her first on-screen job in television working on Braden’s Week in 1968 when one of her first assignments involved researching on a coat of arms.

She continued: “This has been a suppressed ambition of mine for nearly 46 years.

“It is wonderful. I would never have dreamed of it. And it is all because of ChildLine and The Silver Line.”

Usually coats of arms are printed on vellum – traditionally made from calf’s skin.

But Dame Esther said she would refrain from creating one if it clashed with her stance on animal cruelty.

Dame Esther, who has already received the CBE and OBE, will receive her Damehood for services to children and older people, having established telephone helplines for both children in distress or danger and older people experiencing isolation.

She set up ChildLine in 1986 to provide support to children and young people experiencing neglect and abuse and the service has helped more than three million children.

Silver Line was set up in November 2012 to help elderly people experiencing loneliness and isolation.