Jonnie Irwin has said this Christmas is about making memories for the kids (Picture: Channel 4)
TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has opened up on what may be his last Christmas, following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The A Place In The Sun host revealed earlier this winter that he had been given ‘months’ to live after learning he had cancer in 2020, with the disease spreading from his lungs to his brain, then his liver.
While the 49-year-old had initially decided to keep the diagnosis private, he later had a change of heart, saying wanted to ‘get the monkey off my back’ and speak openly about it.
Now he’s spoken alongside his wife Jess, 40, ahead of Christmas Day, hoping to get as much joy out of it as possible alongside his family including the pair’s sons, Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
Jonnie said they’re ‘hurtling towards where we don’t want to be’ and noted even doctors were surprised by the ‘violence’ in which is cancer returned, but Jonnie said he and wife Jess are trying to make the most of every day.
He told The Daily Mail: ‘We try to carry on as normal. We made a decision not to mourn and to make the most of every day. I’m still working — I’m doing a voice-over this afternoon — I try to manufacture positive thoughts. People say, “How do you stay so upbeat?” It’s a bit of an act, really.
Jonnie and wife Jess spoke about what may be his final Christmas (Picture: @jonnyirwintv)
‘These last couple of months I haven’t liked having no energy, being doubled up in pain. I’m probably more stubborn than positive. But I have this determination to achieve something every day. I feel guilty if I sit down.’
Jonnie said he’s ‘not looking forward to the chat with Rex’ as his health deteriorates further, with the young boy’s birthday also falling on Christmas, with it noted that alongside gifts for their sons ‘the emphasis will be on creating memories’.
The presenter initially kept his diagnosis private (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
After Christmas, Jonnie and Jess added they’ll be celebrating the presenter’s 50th birthday, which falls in November, but will be brought forward.
He said: ‘Mentally I’m quite strong but you find yourself drifting . . . towards the future. The weirdest thing is, if you’re doing something really enjoyable you get an instant prick: don’t get too happy. Don’t laugh. Down the road something really bad is going to happen.
‘It keeps you in check. I struggle with this, if there’s a God why is He putting me through this? If it’s part of His plan, it’s a s**t plan.’
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
The presenter initially kept his cancer diagnosis private.
