Jonnie Irwin celebrates ‘best Father’s Day ever’ amid terminal cancer diagnosis

Former ‘A Place in the Sun’ presenter has shared regular updates with fans about his condition

Jonnie Irwin has celebrated his “best ever” Father’s Day as he deals with terminal cancer.

The TV presenter, 49, who is best known for hosting property shows A Place in the Sun and Escape to the Country, publicly revealed his diagnosis in November 2022 after his lung cancer spread to his brain. He has previously said he “doesn’t know how long” he has to live.

In a new photo shared to Instagram on Sunday (19 June), Irwin is seen smiling alongside with his three sons – his eldest son Rex is four-and-a-half, while twins Rafa and Cormac are turning three this month – surrounded by handmade cards and food.

“Had the best Father’s Day ever,” the presenter wrote in the caption.

“Breakfast of Chocolate Guinness cake baked expertly my brilliant wife then cards from the boys and visit from my brother in law for a brief pillion ride back in time to enjoy some of the highs and lows of the Ashes ending in more cake with more family washed down by a drop of champers.”

It comes after Irwin revealed in an interview that he has not told his sons about his condition.

In an interview with Hello! magazine ahead of Father’s Day, Irwin said: “I keep being asked, ‘Are you going to tell them?’ but tell them what?

“It would be horrible news that they’d have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex – he’s got a shocking enough day coming. Let’s bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible.”

​​In the meantime, Irwin and his Jessica wife Holmes are trying to give their children a sense of normalcy by continuing normal activities as much as they can.

In November, when Irwin first revealed his diagnosis, he said Rex “doesn’t need to know” about his illness yet.

“We make fun of my hair – he calls it my ‘spiky head’ – but as far as he’s concerned, his dad is normal and why would I shatter that innocence?”

Earlier this month, Irwin was admitted to hospital to be “monitored” as his treatment continues.

He said in an Instagram post that he had been admitted so doctors could keep an eye on a “changeover in my pain management regime”.

In an appearance on the OneChat podcast by insurer AIG Life, Irwin said he kept his terminal diagnosis a secret from fans for almost two years, but felt as though he was living under a “dark cloud”.

"The day I came out and told the world I had terminal cancer is the day I started living again, I started being Jonnie Irwin again and I actually feel alive,” Irwin said, before revealing he refrained from telling the public out of fear of being treated differently.

“The only reason I kept it a secret is because I’ve got to feed my babies, I’ve got pay the bills because when you’ve got cancer, people write you off,” he said in the podcast.

In March, Irwin gave a health update, telling The Sun: “I’m weak now, fragile and my memory is terrible… but I’m still here.”