
Jonnie Irwin says he ‘never thought’ he’d be alive to see his 50th birthday amid terminal cancer diagnosis
TV star Jonnie Irwin has admitted that he “never thought” he’d be alive to see his 50th birthday, which is next week. Irwin, 49, who is best known for presenting property TV shows A Place in the Sun and Escape to the Country, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2022. In January, Irwin threw an early 50th birthday party, ahead of the actual date next week, with a huge part with 170 friends and family. But in a new interview, the presenter has said he will be jetting off on holiday to Spain with his family for his actual birthday. “I never thought I’d be here,” Irwin told The Sun. “I’m really looking forward to some time with [wife] Jess and the boys.” Irwin shares three young sons with his wife, Jessica Holmes. He has been praised for his transparency about his condition, and his experiences with various cancer treatments. Since his diagnosis, Irwin has followed a strict diet and spends one to two hours a day in an O2Worx hyperbaric oxygen tent. Some studies have shown that flooding the body with oxygen does not promote tumour growth and has been linked to preventing cancer growth. In July this year, Irwin discussed his “really good” experience with palliative care, which focuses on improving the quality of life for anyone facing a life-threatening condition. Irwin said that he has been in palliative care since the day he received his terminal cancer diagnosis. He was first diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2020, but only publicly shared the news in November 2022 after the cancer spread to his brain. His hospice experience was a “delight”, Irwin said, challenging his initial perception that such facilities were “very much a boiling hot room full of people who looked frail and towards the end of their days”. In September, the presenter made his long-awaited return to TV when he hosted a new episode of Escape to the Country on BBC One. Looking back at his time in a hospice six months ago, Irwin said he was “on the cusp of death”. “Lying in the hospice, I thought I’d had it,” he told The Sun. ​​“But at my weakest point I thought, ‘This is it, this is the beginning of the end.’” ​​Irwin returned home and resumed his strict diet, drinking protein shakes and spending time in the oxygen tent to attempt to curb the growth of his cancer. “I won’t let cancer define me,” Irwin told the publication from his newly renovated home in Newcastle. “A friend of mine told me, ‘Your body achieves what your mind achieves’, and I want to live by that.” Read More Jonnie Irwin jokes he’s ‘whacked’ after attending The Streets gig in Newcastle Billy Connolly shares health update on Parkinson’s disease: ‘Every day gets stranger’ What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how can it be treated? Billy Connolly shares health update on Parkinson’s disease: ‘Every day gets stranger’ What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how can it be treated? Tracey Emin says she ‘totally accepted death’ following cancer diagnosis
1970-01-01 08:00

Storm Debi: Severe wind and rain weather warnings for NI and ROI
A red alert, the highest level, has been issued in the Republic, with a yellow warning for NI.
1970-01-01 08:00

Jets take a definitive stance on Zach Wilson by skipping past key free agent
The Jets had a chance to boost their quarterback room, but they turned it down.
1970-01-01 08:00

Tomas Soucek heads late winner as West Ham come from behind to beat Forest
Tomas Soucek’s persistence paid off as his late header secured a 3-2 win for West Ham against Nottingham Forest. In the closing stages, the Czech midfielder hit the crossbar and had a header miraculously saved by Forest keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos. But Soucek made it third time lucky when he nodded home James Ward-Prowse’s corner to finally see off the visitors. Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute. But Jarrod Bowen’s eighth Premier League goal of the season hauled West Ham level before Soucek’s late heroics. Paqueta struck after Nicolas Dominguez’s stray pass across the pitch cannoned off Ibrahim Sangare’s backside. The Brazilian still had plenty to do but his low, accurate finish from the edge of the area comfortably beat the dive of Vlachodimos. Forest were denied an equaliser by a stunning save from Alphonse Areola, who got a powerful hand on a point-blank header from Awoniyi. Moments later Mohammed Kudus led a counter-attack and squared the ball for Paqueta, only this time his control let him down and his tame shot was straight at Vlachodimos. But Forest gradually regained their shape and set about frustrating West Ham, who seemed to rapidly run out of ideas. The crowd began to get restless as sideways pass after sideways pass came to nothing. Even Forest got bored of it eventually, and they hauled themselves level on the stroke of half-time when Sangare won the ball in a congested midfield. Sangare, with probably the first forward pass of the match from either side, played Morgan Gibbs-White through on goal. Gibbs-White’s angled drive was kept out by Areola but Awoniyi was on hand to tap the rebound into and empty net. West Ham came out with more impetus after the break and Kudus had a shot deflected over before Emerson Palmieri fired narrowly wide. Forest should have gone ahead when Awoniyi played a one-two with Elanga only to slice his shot way off target. Instead they got their noses in front just after the hour when Elanga tucked in a low cross from Ola Aina. But West Ham hit back immediately, Bowen meeting Ward-Prowse’s corner with a powerful header past Vlachodimos. Then Soucek took centre stage, first lifting the ball over Vlachodimos only to see it come back off the crossbar before the Greek keeper somehow tipped his downward header over the top. But Soucek struck with two minutes remaining, leaping over team-mate Bowen to meet another Ward-Prowse corner at the far post to seal West Ham’s first Premier League win since September. Read More Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi Katie Boulter puts Great Britain a win away from BJK Cup progress England will take it slow with Jofra Archer after latest setback – Rob Key Rob Key ready to take share of blame for England’s poor World Cup Victor Lindelof: Scoring more goals is next step for Manchester United On this day in 2004: John Toshack becomes Wales boss on five-year deal
1970-01-01 08:00

Cubs rumors: Trade buzz, Bellinger deal with another star, David Ross's plans for next gig, Stroman good as gone
The Cubs are playing to win. Here's everything we know about moves they're looking at making leading up to the 2024 season.
1970-01-01 08:00

Everything Draymond Green, Donovan Mitchell said about controversial ejection
Draymond Green was ejected from the Golden State Warriors' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday under unusual circumstances.
1970-01-01 08:00

MLB rumors: Nola/Phillies reunion DOA? Surprise catcher hot on free agent market, Mets open for business
In today's MLB rumors, the Phillies and Aaron Nola butt heads, the Astros prepare to lose a vet, and the Mets open up shop.
1970-01-01 08:00

Philippe Clement wants longer recovery after European games as Rangers beat Livi
Philippe Clement praised Rangers for the way they dealt with a “tricky” trip to Livingston as he called on the Scottish football authorities to consider implementing Sunday evening kick-off times for teams playing in Europe on a Thursday. The Rangers boss watched his team run out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Tony Macaroni Arena less than 72 hours after an energy-sapping 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague in the Europa League. Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibernian and the Ibrox side have all had to contend with playing domestic matches on Sunday afternoons after Thursday night European fixtures this term, and Clement feels Scotland should follow the lead of other leagues by allowing teams more recovery time in such situations. “I think it’s better for Scottish football to do it that way,” said the Belgian. “They do it in Belgium and in other leagues. “People who have never played may think, ‘what is the difference between six hours or eight hours more?’ but it’s a big difference in the recovery of a body, these hours of sleep and recovery because it’s a really short time for players to recover. “We play every three days, we will have a schedule of 12 games in about 38 days (after the international break) so recovery is an important part of it. The food, the drink, the cryo, when to sleep. “It’s important I think in every league that teams that play in Europe on Thursday evening play on the Sunday evening. In a lot of leagues, that’s done so it’s maybe something we can see in the future.” Clement made four changes for the Livingston game and admitted his team selection was influenced by the gruelling impact of the Sparta match. “Yes, because for example, Danilo did 1,300 metres of high-intensity runs on Thursday so if I let him start today I take a risk, for example,” he said. “Of course, I looked at that.” The win at Livingston came courtesy of a first-half goal from Cyriel Dessers and a second-half penalty from James Tavernier, who had missed an earlier spot-kick. Rangers also had first-half goals from Connor Goldson and Ross McCausland – on his first start – ruled out following VAR reviews. “It was a tricky game, with the circumstances with the (plastic) pitch which is not an advantage for us with the football we want to play,” said Clement. “Also kick-off at 12 o’clock after a European night. Also having European success and then playing domestically, it’s sometimes dangerous in the heads of the players. “So the team showed a really good mentality and the right spirit to play a very mature game because we didn’t give away anything and we deserved to win, clearly. “Also when you miss a penalty and a goal is disallowed, sometimes you get in dangerous games for losing points because the circumstances are not on your side. At the end, it’s a very positive afternoon.” Livingston go into the international break after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat. Manager David Martindale – who rued a “disappointing” first-half performance – is unfazed by their current predicament. “This is not an abnormal situation for us,” he said. “Yes, we are bottom of the league on goal difference, but we have gone on spells where we’ve not won a game in five in most seasons. “We just need to get back on track. I am not big on stats or data, it’s about one game at a time and what we can control. Hopefully that will lead to performances, which leads to results.”
1970-01-01 08:00

Chelsea vs Manchester City LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Cole Palmer and Jeremy Doku start
Chelsea host Manchester City in the Premier League this afternoon seeking to earn back-to-back league wins after they triumphed over Tottenham in a bizarre and highly entertaining encounter last time out. Mauricio Pochettino’s men defeated Spurs 4-1 but struggled to break down the north London outfit after they had been reduced to nine-men due to red cards for Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie. Raheem Sterling set up Nicolas Jackson in the 75th minute which broke Tottenham’s resolve and two further late goals for the 22-year-old striker saw him complete an unlikely hat-trick. That win took the Blues back into the top-10 and they will be hoping to make further inroads up the table with a positive result at Stamford Bridge. In contrast, Man City hammered Bournemouth 6-1 before competently sweeping aside Young Boys 3-0 in the Champions League during the week. Pep Guardiola’s men are in top form and despite Chelsea earning a much needed win on their previous outing Pochettino’s men will be up against it today. Follow all the Premier League action below plus get the latest odds and tips for the game right here: Read More Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Chelsea’s downward spiral offers stark warning to Man City Gareth Southgate admits Reece James’s injury record could impact England’s Euro 2024 squad decision
1970-01-01 08:00

Iceland earthquake: Town of Grindavik ‘could be obliterated’ if volcanic eruption strikes
A volcanic eruption could destroy the Icelandic town of Grindavik or lead to extensive ash clouds, experts have warned. The country has been shaken by more than 2,000 small earthquakes in the past few days prompting fears the tremours could disrupt the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of the country. Thousands have been told to evacuate Grindavik as a precautionary measure as a magma tunnel stretches below the surface. If an eruption occurs in or close to the town, the consequences will be devastating, volcanologist Ármann Höskuldsson warned. He told news site RUV: “This is very bad news. One of the most serious scenarios is an eruption in the town itself, similar to that in Vestmannaeyjar, 50 years ago. "This is [would be] much worse," says Ármann. Ragga Ágústdóttir, who lives close to Grinvadik, said residents were fearful of what could happen if an eruption struck. “The scenario on the table now is that it will happen in or just north of the town of Grindavik. There’s no good option here,” she told The Independent. If a volcanic eruption does not happen in Grinvadik, one could occur out at sea, experts have said. MP Gisli Olafsson said the country was praying the “worst case scenarios do not happen”. He shared on X, formerly Twitter: “The situation in Grinvadik continues to become even more grave than before. The town has already suffered considerable damage from the earthquakes and from the shifts in the ground as the magma thrusts itself upwards.” He said a 15km magma tunnel could turn into a fissure vent eruption as the chamber beneath the area was two times larger than previous eruptions in Reykjanes over the past few years. There is a chance the eruption could occur under the ocean, resulting in an explosive eruption and extensive ash clouds, he said. “Scientists have warned that they may not be able to give any further warning of when the magma reaches the surface, making it quite dangerous to go in there,” he added. It comes as residents endured a less shaky night as 880 earthquakes below magnitude three were recorded overnight compared to the previous 1,485 earthquakes which rocked the country in previous days. Some 3,000 residents have been evacuated, with many forced to leave their pets behind. A meeting on Saturday afternoon determined that only residents from the Þórkätlustað district were safe to swiftly return to collect necessities, report RUV. Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, professor of geophysics, told RUV seismic activity continues, despite slowing down. He predicted three scenarios; the first is an eruption near Grindavik or north of the town; the second is that there is no eruption and the third, and least likely prediction, according to Mr Guðmundsson, is an undersea eruption. Iceland is highly susceptible to natural disasters as it lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge – a divergent plate boundary where the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate are moving away from each other, leading to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. “I don’t think it’s long before an eruption, hours or a few days. The chance of an eruption has increased significantly,” Thorvaldur Thordarson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, told state broadcaster RUV yesterday. Reykjanes is a volcanic and seismic hot spot southwest of the capital Reykjavik. In March 2021, lava fountains erupted spectacularly from a fissure in the ground measuring between 500 750 metres long in the region’s Fagradalsfjall volcanic system. Read More Iceland: Thousands evacuated as fears of volcano eruption grow Iceland earthquakes: Your rights if you are on holiday there or are planning to go Mapped: Iceland earthquake locations revealed as volcano eruption alert issued Iceland volcano eruption could be ‘hours or days’, meteorologist warns Iceland evacuates town and raises aviation alert as concerns rise a volcano may erupt Warning volcanic eruption ‘could obliterate Grindavik’ as residents flee - latest
1970-01-01 08:00

How much is Jimbo Fisher's buyout at Texas A&M?
Jimbo Fisher may have coached his last game for the Texas A&M football team. At the least, it would appear his days are numbered. Reports surfaced on Sunday th
1970-01-01 08:00

The Bundesliga records Harry Kane could break with Bayern Munich this season
The Bundesliga scoring records that Harry Kane could break for Bayern Munich this season, which would see him surpass the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Gerd Muller
1970-01-01 08:00