Jonnie Irwin, a television presenter known for his appearances on property shows Escape to the Country and A Place in the Sun, has passed away at the age of 50. The presenter was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020 after the illness had spread from his lungs to his brain. Irwin was given only six months to live at the time but defied the odds and made his illness public after two years, saying he hoped his story would inspire others to “make the most of every day.”
Irwin’s Instagram account announced his passing, calling him “a truly remarkable soul” who had fought “bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage.” The production company behind A Place in the Sun, Freeform Productions, paid tribute to Irwin on Twitter, calling him a “longtime member of the A Place in the Sun family” who brought “wit, bundles of energy”, and joy to the show. Irwin had joined the show’s cast in 2004 and began presenting Escape to the Country on BBC One in 2010.
Despite the challenges he faced, Irwin remained optimistic about his prognosis and decided to keep his illness private at first, fearing it would affect his career. However, after telling the bosses of A Place in the Sun about his diagnosis they dropped him from the show, citing issues getting insurance. Speaking to The Sun, Irwin said the experience of losing his job had been “really low” and that he could no longer watch the show.
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people in 2020 alone. It is also the biggest cause of cancer deaths in the UK, killing around 35,000 people annually. Symptoms of the disease include a persistent cough, coughing up blood, unexplained tiredness, and weight loss. Irwin experienced a loss of vision while driving in Italy, which prompted him to seek medical attention where he received his eventual diagnosis
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