Jonnie Irwin
Born
Jonathan James Irwin

(1973-11-18) 18 November 1973
Bitteswell, Leicestershire, England
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • writer
  • lecturer
  • business expert
  • property expert
Known forPresenting A Place in the Sun and Escape to the Country
Spouse
Jessica Holmes
​
(m. 2016)​
Children3

Jonathan James Irwin (born 18 November 1973) is an English television presenter, writer, lecturer, business and property expert.

Early life

Irwin grew up on a small farm in the village of Bitteswell, Leicestershire. Irwin was educated at Lutterworth Grammar School and Community College. He obtained a degree from Birmingham City University in estate management.

He is of Irish descent.[1]

Career

Irwin worked for business transfer specialists Christie & Co,[2] becoming an associate director within three years, before going on to work for Colliers International.

In 2004, Irwin was selected from hundreds of applicants along with co-presenter Jasmine Harman to present Channel 4's[3] show A Place in the Sun – Home or Away,[4][5] and has filmed over 200 episodes all around Britain. The programme is also broadcast daily on More4, Discovery Real Time and Discovery Travel & Living, as well as channels throughout Europe and the rest of the world, including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. In 2022 Irwin accused A Place in the Sun producers of axing him as presenter after 18 years due to a cancer diagnosis, leaving his mood “really low.”[6]

Irwin also presents episodes of BBC property shows Escape to the Country and To Buy or Not to Buy. Irwin has also presented the spin-off to Escape to the Country, Escape to the Perfect Town.

In January 2011, Sky 1 broadcast Irwin's own show called Dream Lives for Sale,[7] which saw him help people leave behind their lives in the UK and buy a business. In late 2011 he began a new series, The Renovation Game, which aired on weekday mornings on Channel 4.

Over the past ten years, Irwin has advised clients on business and property, ranging from small high street gift shops to multimillion pound corporate hotel packages. He still runs a property and business consultancy.

Irwin writes a regular column for A Place in the Sun magazine.[8] He appears at A Place in the Sun Live[9] giving presentations on his tips for buying property abroad. Irwin also regularly hosts seminars and corporate events.

Personal life

Irwin is a keen sportsman. He played rugby for Lutterworth RFC and then for Rugby Lions RFC, until an accident in a sevens tournament in which he broke his back and subsequently retired.[10]

Irwin married Jessica Holmes in September 2016. Together they have three sons. Rex born 2018 and twin sons Rafa and Cormac born 2020. Irwin and his family moved to the Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted in 2018[11] and then to the Newcastle upon Tyne area.[12]

Health and illness

In November 2022, Irwin shared that he had terminal lung cancer,[13][14] after being diagnosed in 2020.[15][16] In an interview with Hello!, Irwin said, "I don't know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I'm living with cancer, not dying from it. I set little markers – things I want to be around for [...] I'm doing everything I can to hold that day off for as long as possible. I owe that to Jess and our boys. Some people in my position have bucket lists, but I just want us to do as much as we can as a family."[17][18]

References

  1. ↑ "Even with an Irish Dad ..." Twitter. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "Businesses for Sale - Buy and Sell Businesses | Christie + Co". Christie.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "TRIC Awards 2008 Pictures". The Television and Radio Industries Club. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Programmes - Most Popular - All 4". Channel4.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Programmes - Most Popular - All 4". Channel4.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  6. ↑ Bushby, Helen (24 November 2022). "'A Place in the Sun axed me after cancer news'". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "Sky 1 HD". Sky1.sky.com. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "A Place in the Sun Magazine". www.aplaceinthesun.com.
  9. ↑ "A Place in the Sun Live | TV Presenters". Aplaceinthesun.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  10. ↑ Purves, Robbie (14 November 2022). "Who Leicester's Jonnie Irwin is, his wife and kids and how he was diagnosed with terminal cancer". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "S01E02 Berkhamsted". Escape to the Perfect Town. 8 October 2019. BBC.
  12. ↑ Murphy, Nicola (2021) Escape to the Country's Jonnie Irwin reveals pristine garden at new home, Hello!
  13. ↑ Price, Karen (13 November 2022). "Channel 4 A Place in The Sun's Jonnie Irwin diagnosed with terminal cancer". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  14. ↑ Hadfield, Charlotte (13 November 2022). "A Place in the Sun presenter Jonnie Irwin given six months to live after 'blurred vision'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  15. ↑ https://7news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/a-place-in-the-sun-tv-host-jonnie-irwin-given-6-months-to-live-following-terminal-cancer-diagnosis--c-8851032.amp
  16. ↑ Siddique, Haroon (14 November 2022). "TV property presenter Jonnie Irwin reveals he has terminal cancer". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  17. ↑ Robey, Belinda (13 November 2022). "Exclusive: Jonnie Irwin reveals terminal cancer diagnosis and how he is creating memories for his family". Hello!. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  18. ↑ Stolworthy, Jacob (14 November 2022). "Jonnie Irwin: A Place in the Sun and Escape to the Country presenter says he has terminal cancer". The Independent. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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