Jonnie Irwin: A Place In The Sun host keeps illness secret from sons by staying in hospice

Jonnie Irwin has revealed he has spent some time in a hospice amid his cancer diagnosis as he has yet to tell the news of his illness to his children.

Terminally-ill Jonnie Irwin has revealed he has spent some time in a hospice to deal with his excruciating pain amid his terminal cancer diagnosis as he has yet to break the news of his illness to his young children.

The 49-year-old former A Place In The Sun presenter revealed that he recently moved overseas for treatment after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020 which later spread to his brain, but the medical process caused irreversible damage to his liver.

In a recent video interview with Hello! Magazine, Jonnie admitted he has spent some time away from home due to the extensive liver damage and chronic back pain caused by his treatment abroad.

He said: “I remove myself on a number of occasions because I’m not good to be around when I’m in pain. I’m like a bear with a sore head and I don’t want them to be around that.” Asked about his death, the dad-of-three said: “It can happen at any time. I’m here to stop it for as long as possible.”

The Escape To The Country star first made public his cancer diagnosis during an interview with Hello! Magazine last November, saying he only had “months to live”. He said wanted to make as many memories as possible with his family before the time comes.

He also revealed he was working on a “digital legacy” for his family – so that he can “speak” to them via video clips after he dies. He has a son Rex, three, and twins Rafa and Cormac, two, with wife Jessica Holmes, 40 who he married in September 2016.

Jonnie also admitted in the interview telling his three sons about his terminal diagnosis would “confuse them” and hasn’t yet shared the devastating news with them.

He said: “I keep being asked, ‘Are you going to tell them?’ But tell them what? It would be horrible news that they’d have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex – he’s got a shocking enough day coming. Let’s bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible."

Escape to the Country host Jonnie Irwin’s plan to help his children after he’s gone following cancer diagnosis

Jonnie said he is keen to make lasting memories with his children. He said "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. Some people in my position have bucket lists, but I just want us to do as much as we can as a family."

Jonnie said he first got the first warning sign when he was filming for A Place in the Sun for Channel 4 in Italy in August 2020, as his vision went blurry while driving. Tests soon revealed that he had lung cancer which had spread to his brain.

He has also reportedly begun hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is commonly associated with treating divers with decompression sickness. It is used to increase the amount of oxygen in the body and treat certain kinds of wounds, injuries, and infections.