TV presenter Jonnie Irwin, who previously starred on A Place In The Sun, has admitted he had ‘no idea how much people really liked what I did’ after being inundated with messages of support.
Earlier this month, the 49-year-old publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given ‘months to live’.
‘I don’t know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I’m living with cancer, not dying from it,’ he said, having revealed that cancer in his lung had spread to his brain.
Jonnie recently claimed that he was axed from A Place In The Sun following diagnosis, alleging that he was ‘pushed aside for someone healthier’ by Channel 4.
In a statement, Channel 4 and Freeform said: ‘No stone was left unturned in trying to enable Jonnie to continue his international filming with us during Covid but the production company were unable to secure adequate insurance cover for him. We, of course, understand how frustrating this must be for him at this incredibly difficult time.’
After sharing the news of his diagnosis, Jonnie has said in a new interview that he’s received ‘messages from people all over the world, wishing me well’.
‘Thousands of people have left me heart-warming comments on Instagram and I promise I will try to read them all,’ he told The Sun, boasting 131,000 followers on the social media platform.
‘They range from practical, scientific advice to ones from very religious people. There are thousands and thousands of them on my social media platforms and it’s been great.’
He added: ‘I’ve not hidden away but I’m not bothered about the limelight. I had no idea how much people really liked what I did and I know that now.’
Jonnie shares three children with his wife Jessica Holmes – three-year-old son Rex and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
He recently expressed his fear that his kids won’t remember him after he dies, telling The Sun: ‘Every time something really nice happens with them, I have this thing knocking at my door, saying, “Don’t get too happy because you’re not going to be around much longer.
‘Then I think they’re not going to remember me, they’re really not. They’re too young and if I die this year there’s no chance they will have memories.’