Jonnie Irwin explains why he hasn’t told sons about his terminal cancer: ‘Let’s bury our heads in the sand’

The TV presenter revealed his lung cancer diagnosis in November 2022

Jonnie Irwin has opened up about why he hasn’t told his three children that he has terminal cancer.

The A Place in the Sun presenter, 49, publicly revealed his diagnosis in November 2022 after his lung cancer spread to his brain.

However, his young sons, who he shares with wife Jessica Holmes, do not know that their father is dying. Irwin says it would be difficult for them to understand his situation at this age: his eldest son Rex is four-and-a-half, while twins Rafa and Cormac are turning three this month.

In a new 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 Holmes are trying to give their children a sense of normalcy by continuing to teach and play with them.

Holmes described the presenter as a “great dad and a big kid himself”, adding: “All the boys gravitate to him when they want to show off and get his attention. They’re aware that Jonnie needs his rest and can’t always jump up and play football for hours, but they’re more than happy snuggled up on the sofa, watching a movie.

“Story time is a big thing at bedtime and that is something I know Jonnie treasures with them.”

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 shared in an Instagram post that he was admitted to 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 had been close to dying “at least twice”.

“You lose your memory, you lose your patience. I have got a very short temper. It’s not made me a better person, that’s for sure,” he admitted.

However, Irwin emphasised that he prefers to think of his situation as “living with cancer, rather than dying from cancer”.