Ali Condon
ITV presenter Jonnie Irwin has revealed the devastating news to fans that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The TV star, best known for presenting A Place In The Sun, has been told that he has just months to live.
After initially deciding to keep his diagnosis a secret, Jonnie explained that he's going to use his last living months making memories with his wife Jessica and their three children.
Jonnie and Jessica are parents to Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
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Speaking to Hello! magazine about his heartbreaking health update, he said: "I don’t know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I'm living with cancer, not dying from it.
"I set little markers - things I want to be around for. I got into the habit of saying: 'Don't plan ahead because I might not be well enough.' But now I want to make plans.
"I want to make memories and capture these moments with my family because the reality is, my boys are going to grow up not knowing their dad and that breaks my heart."
Jonnie had been filming for A Place In The Sun back in August 2020 when he first started experiencing unusual symptoms.
After heading to the doctor for tests, the presenter was told he had lung cancer, which had already spread as far as his brain.
"Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live," he shared. "I had to go home and tell my wife, who was looking after our babies, that she was on her own pretty much. That was devastating. All I could do was apologise to her. I felt so responsible."
Explaining why he decided to open up about his diagnosis, and finally share the news with fans, Jonnie said: "It's got to the point now where it feels like I’m carrying a dirty secret - it’s become a monkey on my back."
He added that he hopes his story might 'inspire people who are living with life-limiting prospects to make the most of every day; to help them see that you can live a positive life, even though you are dying.'
Until the dreaded day that his prognosis catches up with him, Jonnie is doing all he can to make priceless memories with his family, and prolong things as much as possible.
"I owe that to Jess and our boys", he said. "Some people in my position have bucket lists, but I just want us to do as much as we can as a family."