Jonnie Irwin's sad final post as upset fans say 'he knew he only had a week'
Heartbroken fans have said that Jonnie Irwin "must have known he only had a week left" in the last Instagram post he made just a week before his death.
A Place in the Sun presenter Jonnie, 50, tragically died last week after spending the last three years living with a terminal lung cancer diagnosis. Since announcing his diagnosis a year ago, Jonnie has kept fans updated with the treatment he's been undergoing, never shying away from describing the difficult reality of his condition. In late January this year, Jonnie spoke of "not sleeping for six nights" as he shared a selfie of himself in a hospital gown while awaiting a full body MRI.
Having returned from hospital days later, Jonnie shared a video of himself showing the new windows he had had installed at his home as he praised the handiwork. He wrote: "I was tempted to spray the remaining windows, but after interviewing someone that actually knows what they’re talking about I changed my plans . This more than any other Reno has been a fluid process! Check out the film we made on Morning Live on @bbciplayer, it’s worth a watch. Look out for the episode on 13/11/23. Or go straight to Richard who’s tagged."
At the time, concerned fans worried whether he was OK, with one writing: "Bless you hope your ok any updates for your fans on here Johnnie?" Following the news of his death, the post of him worrying about his family's comfort in their home hit hard, with one commenting: "He must have known he had just a week left .. life is outrageously cruel when so many shallow, inflated ego souls survive him."
While another wrote: "Making changes to his family house as if to make them comfortable after. What a gentleman, loved him on the programmes." A third commented: "Ahh this one hits hard. Thinking of Johnnies wife and children, taken too soon."
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Despite his diagnosis, Jonnie - who is dad to son Rex and twins Rafa and Cormac with wife Jess - continued to live life to the fullest. Speaking on the Conversations with Jane McLelland podcast last month, he explained: "One of the reasons I think I'm still here is I'm not a cancer patient. It's always there at the back of your mind, but I'm living with cancer, not dying with cancer." He then encouraged others not to focus too much on their prognosis, as he said: "If I just listened to the prognosis I'm perennially given, I'd be curled up in a ball and crying myself to death."
Jonnie previously revealed that he had already planned for the future by buying his children gifts for their 18th birthdays. In an interview with Hello! Magazine last year, Jonnie spoke candidly about how he might be remembered, saying: "It pains me to think the twins probably won't remember me. You hear people say: 'I don't remember my dad. He died when I was so young.' I think about that and it breaks my heart because that's what I'm destined to be, really - a footnote in their life. So, I try to have monuments of my love for them."
One of the important transactions Jonnie completed before his death was to buy the Newcastle house where his boys live, so that they don't have a mortgage hanging over them as they grow up. He also revealed his dying wish in the interview last year, saying: "I had a tough upbringing and I've managed to do a lot in my life, despite that, but I don't want them to struggle."
Jonnie's death was confirmed in a heartbreaking post on Instagram on Friday evening. A spokesperson. for the family said: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing. A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit."
Jonnie Irwin on Father's Day with children Rex, four, and three-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac who he shared with his wife Jessica Holmes (INSTAGRAM)"At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on. Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten," they added.
His wife Jess paid her own heartbreaking tribute on Instagram to Jonnie, saying "I will always love you" as she vowed to "make him proud". She wrote: "Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldn’t come. It’s with all the the saddness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today.
"His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys. I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end. It really wasn’t fair and you didn’t deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx."
His friends and co-stars have since paid tribute with A Place In The Sun's Jasmine Harman writing: "My heart is broken," alongside a broken heart emoji. His co-star, Scarlette Douglas took to her own Instagram to share a snap of Jonnie filming on location, writing: "May the sun always shine on you, Jonnie. RIP." Danni Menzies shared a quote to her Instagram Stories, reading: "When we die, I want to believe that we are scattered throughout all the people that have ever loved us. That we will continue to exist in them. In their bloodstream. For generations. Gor lifetimes." Writing alongside this, she added: "You will Jonnie xxx."
A Place In The Sun has also paid tribute, sharing a black-and-white image of the late presenter. The show said: "Sharing a black and white photo of Jonnie, they said: "We are heartbroken. Jonnie was a much-loved part of the A Place In The Sun family for more than 18 years - he brought joy, with and bundles of energy to the show. We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with Jess and the boys and the rest of the family."
Jonnie and his wife Jessica recently took a trip to Paris (Instagram)Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning said: "Jonnie Irwin was an extraordinary man and wonderful presenter. He brought such warmth and fun to Escape to the Country, where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too. More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for Morning Live about his illness, tackling taboos around end of life care, and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did.
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"His kindness will be hugely missed by everyone he worked with, and we are sending all of our thoughts to his family and friends at this sad time.
John Comerford, Head of Naked West and Executive Producer of Escape to the Country also paid tribute as he said: "We are incredibly saddened to hear the news about Jonnie. He has been at the very heart of Escape to the Country for 14 years and will be a huge loss to our production team and all the viewers who have loved watching him on the show. Jonnie was clever, warm and funny, never short of a mischievous and insightful line and always put the programme’s contributors at ease. All the teams he worked with loved him. He is an unimaginable loss to the Escape family. We send our love and heartfelt condolences to Jess and his beautiful boys."
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000. Donate here to Macmillan if you wish to do so.
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