Jonnie Irwin admitted he was in a "really dark place" after Channel 4 decided not to renew his contract with A Place in the Sun. The long-serving TV presenter filmed more than 200 shows for the property programme and was left "heartbroken" when he was axed.
The revelation comes after he decided to go public after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer also saying he is determined to make the very most of whatever time he has left. The 48-year-old was diagnosed two years ago and decided to told fans at the weekend in order to the "monkey off my back".
In an emotional interview alongside his wife Jessica, he told Hello magazine leaving the programme after 20 years was a crushing blow.
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He said: "The Escape to the County team were brilliant. I wanted to work and I needed to work for my own wellbeing and to provide for my family, they couldn't have done more to help me."
"I had been with the show for almost two decades, so physiologically, that was was a really big blow."
The presenter is proud dad to three-year-old son Rex and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac with his wife and has kept his condition quiet until now. He said: "That has helped so much and when I leave this planet, I’ll do so knowing Jess and the boys are in a house that is fully paid off and there’s a bit of money in the bank for them to live off."
Jonnie is originally from Leicester and grew up on a small farm in the village of Bitteswell, near Lutterworth. He was a keen rugby player until he was forced to retire after breaking his back. The dad played for local teams Lutterworth RFC and Rugby Lions RFC.
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