Jonnie Irwin gives heartbreaking update on his terminal cancer diagnosis
Topics: Health, Celebrity, TV And Film
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/jonnieirwintv
Topics: Health, Celebrity, TV And Film
TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has provided a heartbreaking update on his terminal cancer diagnosis battle.
The 49-year-old was given just six months to live when he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, which had spread to the brain, in August 2020
Jonnie, best known for A Place in the Sun, revealed his prognosis publicly in November after keeping it quite for two years.
Since then, Jonnie has opened up on the devastating disease that means he will leave behind his three young children (Rex, Rafa and Cormac) and wife Jessica.
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Before Christmas 2022, Jonnie spoke on how it would be his last, and he has now opened up on his health three months later.
In a new interview with The Sun, Jonnie said: "I'm weak now, fragile and my memory is terrible… but I'm still here.
"I tried to play football with Rex the other day and was in goal and I couldn't get near the ball. It was so frustrating.
"I'm very sporty and suddenly it's just like…it was as if it was the first time I'd attempted football. I felt like a granddad. And that broke me a bit."
Jonnie is not due to turn 50 until November, but he recently celebrated with a huge party and over 170 guests in attendance.
Among some of the famous faces in attendance were Irwin's former colleague on A Place in the Sun, Jasmine Harman and ex-England cricketer Andrew Caddick.
Jonnie said: "It was a great night. I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the 90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad.
"I didn’t know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit.
"I’ve been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing.
"I just wanted to do something to celebrate my birthday and had no idea how many people would actually turn up. It was incredible."
Elsewhere in the interview, Jonnie's wife Jessica spoke about the moment Jonnie came home and told her about the terminal cancer diagnosis.
She recalled: "He couldn't stop apologising. He kept saying 'sorry' over and over and I just kept telling him it wasn't his fault."
"I think I’m still in denial about a lot of it if I’m honest."