Jonnie Irwin wants people to learn from his ‘mistake’ as he battles terminal cancer 

Ex-A Place in The Sun presenter Jonnie Irwin opened up about his huge regret and shared advice for other families dealing with the disease.

He was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in August 2020 after seeking medical advice when his vision became blurred at the wheel.

The media personality went public with his diagnosis in November last year in a bid to help others suffering from cancer. Sadly, the cancer has now spread to his brain.

In an interview with AIG’s OneChat podcast, the TV star revealed that he made a huge ‘mistake’ amid his terminal cancer diagnosis which he ‘wants people to learn’ from.

He shared that he regrets not taking out critical illness insurance, which meant he had to ‘keep working’ because of this ‘mistake’.

The Channel 4 presenter said: “I didn’t take critical illness insurance out and therefore I had to keep working. Without work, I’ve got no means of paying the bills. 

“And if I had taken the critical illness insurance out, that could’ve covered my outgoings and I probably could’ve told the world a lot sooner.”

Irwin, 49, said on the podcast that he feels ‘ridiculous’ for not considering this level of insurance after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

The father-of-three continued: “I could’ve had two years of living a more open lifestyle. And I want people to learn from that mistake. 

“I think at the time I just thought I can better spend that money elsewhere. Where I don’t know. I’ve not frittered it away. Maybe because I know what benefits it would have had, it just seems ridiculous that I didn’t.

“I thought I was doing well just taking out life insurance. It’s one positive thing and helped me a great deal in getting a financial position in life to know my wife and my boys are more secure. 

“But how I wish I’d taken out that extra cover.”

Irwin admitted telling his wife about his terminal diagnosis — just two months after the couple had twins — was the ‘hardest thing’ he’s ever had to do.

He said: “I can remember it like it was yesterday. And I’ve got no memory since my whole brain therapy. But that bloody memory stays in my head. And it is brutal. All I can remember is hugging her and just saying, ‘Sorry,’.”

The TV favourite continues his battle with his terminal illness, after doctors told him he only had ‘months to live’ when he was first diagnosed in 2020.