Johnny Irwin48, said he is coming to terms with the reality that this Christmas “could be” his last after his lung cancer spread to his brain and he was told he has months to live.
In a new interview, Jonnie said he “wants to stay here as long as possible.”
He said: “I’d be lying if I didn’t say Christmas will be tough.
“I’m not saying this will be my last, because I’m not sure. I want to stay here as long as possible, but I could.
“I want to enjoy it and just spend time with Jess and the kids.”
READ MORE:Flashdance singer Irene Cara dies at 63 as tributes pour in
Jonnie has been married to his wife Jess since 2016 and they share three children: three-year-old Rex and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
The twins were just one month old when Jonnie was diagnosed in 2020.
Recalling the heartbreaking moment he received the tragic news, Jonnie continued to The Sun: “I couldn’t believe it happened.
“At first this just happens to you, but once your mind gets over the shock, it’s ‘what about my wife and kids’ and it sticks with you. It’s not going away.”
To add to his heartbreak, Jonnie was dropped as presenter A place in the sun because Channel 4 could not “arrange adequate insurance for him” to travel abroad during Covid.
However, in a statement, a Channel 4 spokesperson said “no stone was left unturned” in their efforts to keep Jonnie on the show.
Speaking on GMB, Jonnie said the decision “broke his heart”.
He said: “I feel extremely hurt. When I was told I couldn’t do A Place in the Sun because they thought they couldn’t get insurance, my heart broke.
“I just didn’t think they even fought for me, they say they did… I stopped working on A Place in the Sun which affected my mental health.
“I’m a family man now, but being a TV presenter almost defines you and not being able to travel and do what I think I’m pretty good at and not be able to provide for my family.
“Every show I do now, that’s money for my family for the future.”
