Jonnie Irwin is a dad to three adorable sons, who he shares with his wife Jessica.
The A Place In The Sun presenter has been making the most of family time following his cancer diagnosis, sharing with the world last November that he was told he could have months to live.
Jonnie, 49, discovered that cancer in his lung had spread to his brain and recently had a stint in hospital to monitor a change in his pain management regime.
Despite what’s been thrown at him, the TV star has remained optimistic for his children, who are completely unaware of his cancer.
Who are Jonnie Irwin’s children?
Jonnie and Jess share Rex, four, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
The broadcaster and his family moved to the Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted in 2018 before settling in the Newcastle upon Tyne area.
It’s clear the little ones are in awe of their dad, having recently showered him with love on Father’s Day.
Sharing a series of adorable snaps from the special day – which is likely to be Jonnie’s last Father’s Day – Jonnie showed off his handmade cards and chocolate cake that everyone tucked into.
The presenter has said he doesn’t want to ‘confuse’ his kids, which is why they haven’t been told about his illness.
‘I keep being asked, “Are you going to tell them?” but tell them what?’, he recently said.
‘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.’
However, Jonnie has been having some important conversations with his kids, particularly his eldest.
‘I’ve started to tell Rex in private conversations, “You can do anything”,’ Jonnie added in a new interview.
‘He’s bright, he’s talented, and comes home from nursery knowing more French than I do,’ the doting dad told Hello!
Jonnie also poignantly noted: ‘Jess is soft, so they’ll have a softer upbringing than if I was around, probably.’
Who is Jonnie Irwin’s wife?
He married Jess in September 2016 and they welcomed their first child two years later.
She has been by his side throughout his health struggles, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.
Speaking on the AIG Life’s The OneChat podcast, Jonnie opened up about telling his wife about his diagnosis, describing it as ‘brutal’.
He began: ‘A woman who only two months before has had twins, how do you tell her that you’re going to be there anymore?
‘So I just went upstairs, I can remember it like it was yesterday and I’ve got no memory since my whole brain therapy.
‘But that bloody memory stays in my head and it is brutal.
‘And all I can remember is hugging her and just saying sorry and I still feel sorry now.’
A real family man, Jonnie revealed his fears of not being able to provide for them, which is why he didn’t speak about his cancer publicly for so long.
‘As soon as you say you’ve got cancer, people just write you off,’ he also said on the podcast.
‘I had to live with it as a secret.’
But, after a year and a half, Jonnie was unable to work at the same pace.
‘Unfortunately, one of the companies claimed they couldn’t insure and didn’t renew my contract. It left a massive hole in my income.’
Jonnie felt like he’d ‘been thrown on the scrap heap.’
The property expert is keeping his chin up, though, and spending whatever time he can with his loved ones, whether that be a Lake District getaway or playing dress-up with his boys.
He’s also repeatedly expressed his thanks to fans for being supportive, saying he’s ‘overwhelmed’ by the love he’s received.
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.
MORE : Jonnie Irwin shares heartbreaking health update – and the one thing he wishes he’d done before diagnosis
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