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Paris’ 2024 Paralympics are about to begin!
Virgin Radio
19 Dec 2022, 03:22
Credit: Getty
The TV presenter was told he had lung cancer in August 2020.
We're still reeling from the news that Escape To The Country presenter Jonnie Irwin has terminal cancer, and has been given just six months to live.
It is understandably an emotional time for the 49 year old and all who love him, and the property expert has been sharing his thoughts on his diagnosis.
Jonnie was filming in Italy when he first realised something might be wrong with his health. In August 2020 he had an episode of blurry vision whilst he was driving - with subsequent tests confirming he had developed lung cancer, which had spread to his brain.
Last week (December 15th), Jonnie appeared on BBC's Morning Live, where he shared his main regret from being told the prognosis. He's keen for other people in the same awful situation as him to learn from his mistake.
"So when you get a terminal diagnosis, it covers you for when you're gone," he said. "But a terminal diagnosis can go on for years and it will affect... your illness affects your work, so if you're unable to work and you're waiting for this payout, who is going to pay the rent?
He continued; "So critical illness is a policy you take alongside that and that kicks in as soon as you're ill. I didn't take that and that took a lot of a lot of pressure on having to work on days when I didn't want to go to work, and that's one mistake I say to everyone."
Jonnie has a wife, Jessica Holmes, and three children - Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac. He's been looking into his finances trying to work out to best support his family when he is gone.
He told hosts Geraint Jones and Kimberley Walsh: "It's funny when you get diagnosed with something so serious, all control gets taken away from you and so I wanted to take control back. I knew I had to look after my family, it's an amazing thing, once you have a family you have this massive responsibility."
"Being freelance," he added, "I had a couple of properties, I wanted to try and be in a position to get my family into a mortgage-free situation so I sold my buy-to-lets.
"To some extent, I'd done all that I could. But I wish I'd done more, certainly in terms of life insurance."
Wise words. We hope you enjoy every moment you have left with your family Jonnie.
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