Presenter of Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun Jonnie Irwin dies at 50

The TV personality, who also hosted the BBC show Escape to the Country, said in 2022 his lung cancer had spread to his brain

The TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has died aged 50, his agent has confirmed.

Irwin, who presented Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun and the BBC’s Escape to the Country, revealed in November 2022 that his lung cancer had spread to his brain and it was terminal.

A statement posted on the presenter’s Instagram account paid tribute to his “kindness, warmth and infectious spirit” and referred to his family’s “immeasurable” grief and “profound loss”.

Alongside a photograph of the late TV host and his wife, Jessica Holmes, with whom he has three young sons – Rex and twins Rafa and Cormac – thetribute read: “In loving memory. It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing.

“A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth and infectious spirit.

“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable and your thoughts, prayers and support are deeply appreciated.

“As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well lived and a legacy that will for ever be etched in our hearts. Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter and memories will live on.

“Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.”

Irwin presented the popular Channel 4 property show for more than 18 years . After sharing his terminal diagnosis, he said he hoped it would inspire others to “make the most of every day”.

He said the first warning sign of his illness came while he was filming A Place in the Sun in Italy in August 2020, when his vision became blurry while driving. Within a week of flying home, he was given six months to live.

In an interview with Hello! magazine after revealing his diagnosis, he said: “One day, this is going to catch up with me, but 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.”

He added that he wanted to make memories for his family because “my boys are going to grow up not knowing their dad, and that breaks my heart”.

In an emotional tribute on Instagram Irwin’s wife, Jessica, said his “magical brain” continued to fight until the end and that he had given her more than she could have “ever have wished for” including “eight bonkers years of love and adventure and three amazing boys”.

She added: “I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you.

“Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end. It really wasn’t fair and you didn’t deserve any of this.”

Jasmine Harman paid tribute to her A Place in the Sun co-star in an Instagram post. She said: “To begin our TV careers together was a pleasure and a privilege I will be eternally grateful for. Almost 20 years ago, as two nervous new presenters (me perhaps more nervous than you!), little did we know about the adventure we were about to embark on, and the friends we would become.

“Professionally, you were well suited to life in front of the lens. But for years, you always talked about wanting to settle down and become a dad. Your wish was granted when you met Jess. Never were you happier than in your role as husband and dad to the most awesome three boys – you are a legend.”

The Instagram account for A Place in the Sun also posted a tribute to Irwin. “We are heartbroken,” it said. “Jonnie was a much-loved part of the A Place in the Sun family for more than 18 years – he brought joy, wit and bundles of energy to the show. We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with Jess and the boys, and the rest of the family.”

Rob Unsworth, the head of BBC daytime and early peak commissioning, said: “Jonnie Irwin was an extraordinary man and wonderful presenter. He brought such warmth and fun to Escape to the Country, where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too.

“More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for Morning Live about his illness, tackling taboos around end-of-life care and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did.

“His kindness will be hugely missed by everyone he worked with and we are sending all of our thoughts to his family and friends at this sad time.”

John Comerford, the executive producer of Escape to the Country and the head of the production company Naked West, said they were “incredibly saddened” to hear of Irwin’s death.

“He has been at the very heart of Escape to the Country for 14 years and will be a huge loss to our production team and all the viewers who have loved watching him on the show,” Comerford said.

“Jonnie was clever, warm and funny, never short of a mischievous and insightful line, and always put the programme’s contributors at ease. All the teams he worked with loved him. He is an unimaginable loss to the Escape family.”

Channel 4 said Irwin would be “greatly missed” in a post on X. “Everyone at Channel 4 is deeply saddened by the news of Jonnie’s death,” it said. “Jonnie was a beloved presenter on A Place In The Sun for over 18 years. He helped realise the dreams of many on the show and inspired countless viewers to find their own place in the sun.

“Much loved by colleagues and audiences alike, he will be greatly missed.”