HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND: Jonnie Irwin recently revealed that he was “close to death’s door twice” amid his battle with terminal lung cancer but continued to fight to make the most of his time with his wife, Jess, and three children, Rex, Rafa, and Cormac. “The day I came out and told the world that I had cancer, terminal cancer, is the day I started living again. It’s like being Jonnie Irwin again and I actually feel alive,” The ‘A Place In The Sun’ star told 'OneChat' podcast.
“I have been close to death’s door, twice at least,” Irwin revealed. The 49-year-old first announced his condition in November 2022 and said he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020. However, the former Channel 4 host said that he initially kept his diagnosis a secret as he “had to pay the bills.” Irwin also claimed that he was removed from his hosting duties after revealing his diagnosis as it had an impact on the production company’s insurance, the Mirror reported.
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‘I felt like I’d been thrown on a scrap heap’
Irwin opened up on how he was written off his work after going public with his cancer diagnosis. “I am living with cancer rather than dying from cancer,” he explained. “As soon as you say you’ve got cancer, people just write you off, people just think you are going to cark it,” the broadcaster stated. “I had to live with it as a secret. If I was to continue to be able to continue to provide for my family, I had to keep it a secret,” he shared.
“Unfortunately, one of the companies claimed they couldn’t insure me and so they didn’t renew my contract and left a massive hole in my income. I felt like I’d been thrown on a scrap heap,” Irwin continued. “They recruited within a week and then I saw someone else doing my job,” he added.
‘You lose your memory, you lose your patience’
During the podcast, Irwin recalled how he walked home in a dazed state after receiving the news of his diagnosis and struggled to tell his wife the harsh truth. At the time, it was only two months since Jessica gave birth to their twins, Rafa and Cormac. “I didn't think I was shakable like that,” Irwin said while breaking down in tears. “I was really shaken up. I had to go home and I had to tell my wife and that's the hardest thing I've ever had to do,” he shared.
“How do you tell a woman who only two month before has had twins? How do you tell them that you're not going to be there anymore?” an emotional Irwin asked. “I can remember it like it was yesterday. I've got no memory since I've had brain therapy but that b****y memory stays in my head and it is brutal,” he revealed. “All I can remember is hugging her and just saying sorry and I still feel sorry now,” Irwin mentioned.
He also opened up about the harsh effects of the brain therapy on his personality. “You lose all your barnet, you lose your memory, you lose your patience. I have got a very short temper. It’s not made me a better person, that’s for sure,” he mentioned. However, Irwin said he feels lucky despite the challenges as could see his children grow. “I’ve been home more than ever before and I’m lucky to have seen every bit of their upbringing, and see how they change,” he said.
“Every day is a challenge but I maintain to be as positive as I can. If that means burying my head in the sand that's exactly what I'm going to do,” Irwin concluded. The latest update comes after Irwin shared how he is preparing his family for life after his death with the help of modern technology. He told in an interview that he wants to leave behind messages for his wife and children so he can still “speak” to them after his death.
“It's amazing to think I too could speak to my wife and children after I pass away,” Irwin mentioned to BBC. “My diagnosis has taken a lot from me but it has given me the ability to prepare,” he shared. “The only way to make sure your digital legacy is as you like it is to take control now. I’m going to take every opportunity to do that for the people I love,” Irwin added.
