Jonnie Irwin has taken time to thank his nearest and dearest for all their support after he went public with his terminal cancer diagnosis last November.
However, the former Channel 4 presenter has admitted he was surprised by the reaction he received from some individuals.
Irwin has spoken previously about keeping his cancer a secret for a long time to ensure that he would not be cast aside by his employers.
Irwin feels that his concerns were not unfounded, as he opened up recently about being “pushed aside for someone healthier” after Channel 4 found out about his condition.
Jonnie with wife Jess
Instagram/Jonnie Irwin
In a rare outing, Irwin attended the Tric Awards with Escape to the Country co-stars last week.
At the awards, the property expert told The Sun: “It means everything to me, I consider these people my family,’ he said of Nicki Chapman, Sonali Shah and Jules Hudson.
“The people I thought would be supportive weren’t.
“But these guys in this game have done what I hoped they would do and more.”
He added: “This is my boss and she’s been with me every step of the day, personally and professionally and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her in my life.”
Irwin at the TV Choice Awards 2010
PA
In contrast to the outpouring of support Irwin feels he has received from his Escape to the Country co-stars, Irwin has spoken about feeling let down by Channel 4.
Irwin said: “I told them I wanted to work. When I said I can get you doctor’s notes and assurances from my oncologist that I am fit to work, I was told, verbatim, ‘Oh, you really don’t want to go down that route, do you?’”
Irwin added to The Sun: “Within two weeks, someone else was on TV doing my job. I just feel I earned a bit more from them after 18 years.”
In response, Channel 4 and Freeform told the outlet in a statement: “No stone was left unturned in trying to enable Jonnie to continue his international filming with us during Covid but the production company were unable to secure adequate insurance cover for him.
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Irwin has thanked his 'whirlwind of a wife'
Instagram/Jonnie Irwin
“We, of course, understand how frustrating this must be for him at this incredibly difficult time.”
Speaking on the OneChat podcast with AIG life, Irwin said: “The only reason I kept it secret is because I’ve got to earn, I’ve got to feed my babies, pay the bills.”
“And as soon as you say you’ve got cancer, people just write you off.”
He added: “I had to live with it as a secret.
“It was really difficult living with such a massive cloud above me and pretending to everyone else.”
He told the Express: "As soon as I spoke out I feel I could breathe. I could talk to people about why I felt ill, and why I was losing weight.”
He added: "You can still work. Look at me now. I don't think the doctors were expecting me to see 2023. Here I am, and I'm available for work and especially available for parties."
Irwin and his wife Jess have not told their three sons - four-year-old Rex and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac - about Irwin’s diagnosis.
