Escape to the Country star’s heartbreaking cancer update
Jonnie Irwin, star of Escape to the Country, has shared a heartbreaking update on his battle with terminal cancer.
The TV star - who was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer and given only six months to live in 2020 - sat down for an interview with The Sun after early 50th birthday celebrations, where he opened up about his diagnosis, and the impact it has had on himself and his young family.
Jonnie is the father of three young boys with his devoted wife, Jess. Rex - the couple’s eldest - is four, while their twins Rafa and Cormac are only two. And he was recounting a football game with his eldest son, Rex, when he revealed that he’s feeling the physical weight of his ongoing fight, explaining that he “tried to play football with Rex the other day and was in goal and I couldn’t get near the ball. It was so frustrating.
“I’m very sporty and suddenly it’s just like … it was as if it was the first time I’d attempted football. I felt like a granddad. And that broke me a bit.
“I always thought, ‘I’m an older dad but I’ll be leading from the front’.
“But I’m now at the back.”
“I’m weak now, fragile, and my memory is terrible,” he later added, “but I’m still here.”
Jonnie only announced his diagnosis in 2020, when his appearance change had become noticeable.
“People didn’t know for such a long time, which helped with not having the conversation for some time,” Jess explained.
“Our friends knew, but not the severity of it, and Jonnie looked well so it was never really a topic we discussed. The physical side of it came more recently. Now it’s all we talk about at home.”
Jess went on to explain that while she knows Jonnie is trying to “cross every T and dot all the I’s” for their family, she’s been trying to stress to him that he should “do what makes you happy. If you want to do something, just do it.”
“I just want to be able to bring any bit of fun and enjoyment back into his life,” she added, “which is really hard to do, especially with the reality of how much he’s struggling on a day-to-day basis.”
Their children have served as something of a distraction for them, although Jess admits they haven’t quite been able to wrap their heads around the enormity of the truth.
“I don’t have time to think to be honest,” Jess said, “and I know that Jonnie is doing all that he can with the diet, the resting, the supplement, research, [and] looking into treatment. Jonnie is partly still here because of sheer willpower.
“He’s stubborn and determined and he’s a scrapper.
“I think I’m still in denial about a lot of it if I’m honest.”
Despite the weight of their situation, Jonnie, Jess, and their loved ones recently came together to celebrate - although he won’t be turning 50 until November, the couple decided to celebrate his birthday early with over 150 of their nearest and dearest friends and family.
“It was a great night,” Jonnie recalled. “I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the 90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad.
“I didn’t know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit.
“I’ve been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing. I just wanted to do something to celebrate my birthday and had no idea how many people would actually turn up. It was incredible.”
Images: Instagram