Who was Jonnie Irwin? Tributes pour in for A Place in the Sun star after his death at 50

Jonnie Irwin, the A Place in the Sun star, met a tragic death from cancer on Friday, February 2. The English TV presenter was 50-year-old, and is survived by his wife and three sons. The news of his demise was shared on his Instagram with his friends and fans on Friday night.

The caption read,

“As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched into 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.”

The post had an old picture of Jonnie with his wife, Jessica, riding a motorcycle, with the couple smiling broadly in it.

Jonnie Irwin’s death marks the end of his long-drawn battle with lung cancer which started in 2020, with his first diagnosis.

---

Jonnie Irwin was diagnosed with Lung Cancer in 2020

Jonnie Irwin, short for Jonathan James Irwin, was born on November 18, 1973, in the farm village of Bitteswell, Leicestershire. Irwin was of Irish descent and did most of his education in Leicestershire itself, after which he pursued a degree in estate management from Birmingham City University.

Before starting his TV career with Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun in 2004, Irwin worked at Christie & Co., where he rose to the position of associate director within three years.

Jonnie Irwin presented A Place in the Sun for 18 years, filming over 200 episodes across Britain before the host accused the show of axing him after his revelation about his lung cancer diagnosis in 2022. Irwin was also a presenter on Channel 4’s The Renovation Game, which aired in 2011.

In 2011, Irwin also received the opportunity to broadcast his own show on Sky1 called Dream Lives on Sale, on which he helped people buy a business, leaving behind their old lives.

Irwin’s hands-on knowledge and experience in the estate and property industry gave him an edge in his acting career. He also presented Escape to the Perfect Town, which was the spinoff of BBC’s popular property show Escape to the Country. Before working in the spinoff, Irwin had also presented several episodes in Escape to the Country.

Besides being a TV presenter, Irwin was also a lecturer, a property and business expert, and a writer. He also wrote a regular column in the A Place in the Sun magazine.

The news of Jonnie Irwin’s death led to countless tributes pouring in for him over social media from both his fans and friends, including that of the documentary producer Keaton Stone.

When Jonnie was first diagnosed in August 2020, he was given only 6 months to live. But the presenter ended up defying all odds and surviving much longer. He also spoke to The Sun about wishing to spend as much time with family as possible following the diagnosis. The presenter's survivor inlclude his son, Rex, 5, and twin daughters, Rafa and Cormac, both 3, with wife, Jessica.