Jonnie Irwin says his terminal cancer diagnosis came as complete shock as he prepares for his 'last Christmas' with his family.
The Place in the Sun star, 49, has been given months to live after being told he'd had lung cancer for years, which has now sadly spread through his body.
The presenter shares son Rex, three and twins Rafa and Cormac, two, with his wife Jess, 40, and spoke about his shock diagnosis as the family prepare for the festive season.
"I went from no symptoms at all to a terminal diagnosis in a couple of days," Jonnie revealed.
After filming an episode of A Place in the Sun, the star said he had "squares coming into my vision" while driving and was subsequently told to go to hospital by the programme's sound man.
"I wanted to finish the show but.... they did some tests. I went home, returned the following day and they said I had six months to live," he told MailOnline.
Jonnie had no idea he'd been living with lung cancer. The tumours had grown, without symptoms, and spread through his body to the lymph nodes until they were pressing against his brain.
The star said he was initially given a "wonder drug" after being told he had six months to live, but sadly the cancer has "come back so come back so violently, it's even surprised the doctors".
"I've had a big dose of reality. I'm not going to beat this. People say, 'Don't worry. You will.' Well I probably won't, mate,'".
The star's wife Jess heartbreakingly admitted she was scared by the 'sadness coming her way'.
She and Jonnie have discussed her future after her husband is gone with Jonnie saying he wants her to be happy, even if that's with someone else.
"If she finds a good bloke to look after her and the boys, that would be great," he said.
Despite their heartache, the couple are hosting Christmas this year.
"You wouldn't imagine anything was amiss," said Jess, who added her mum, dad and brother will be joining them for the special day.
Jonnie's family will also be there as the group enjoy the festivities in the couple's gorgeously renovated home.
When asked how they plan to make the day extra special, the star replied warmly: "How do you make it extra special when it's already extra special?"
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