TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has opened up about the moment that "broke him" amid his heartbreaking cancer journey, as the A Place in the Sun host revealed he'd celebrated his 50th birthday months early.
Jonnie, who has three children with wife Jess, said he was trying to play with son, Rex and "felt like a grandad". He told The Sun: “I tried to play football with Rex the other day and was in goal and I couldn’t get near the ball. It was so frustrating.
“I’m very sporty and suddenly it’s just like…it was as if it was the first time I’d attempted football. I felt like a granddad. And that broke me a bit. I always thought, ‘I’m an older dad but I’ll be leading from the front’ but I’m now at the back.”
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Jonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020 and it has now spread to his brain and while he doesn't front A Place in the Sun anymore, he still does their roadshows and presents slots on A Place in the Country and Morning Live. Earlier this month he celebrated an early 50th birthday bash with 170 friends and family.
Jonnie told the publication: “It was a great night. I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the '90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad.
“I didn’t know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit. I’ve been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing. I just wanted to do something to celebrate my birthday and had no idea how many people would actually turn up. It was incredible.”
Praising Jess' "miraculous" dealing of his illness, Jonnie has treated his illness with both traditional cancer-blocking drugs and alternative therapies in a bid to prolong his life, including infusions of vitamin C, a cocktail of daily vitamins, a strict diet and treatment in an oxygen chamber.
He believes NHS doctors should be trained in such therapies, saying it would save billions of pounds. Jonnie says: “I really believe that I wouldn’t still be here if I hadn’t tried all these things.”
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