Jonnie Irwin talks about his devastating mistake while fighting terminal cancer

• Jonnie Irwin has lung cancer that has spread to his brain.
• The 49-year-old was given six months to live two years ago.
• He wishes he had purchased ‘critical illness’ insurance instead of ‘fatal prognosis’ insurance.

Jonnie Irwin, a host of A Place in the Sun, is speaking out about his catastrophic error, alleging that he was obliged to continue working while having terminal cancer because he forgot to purchase ‘critical illness’ insurance.

The 49-year-old journalist has lung cancer that has gone to his brain. Although he purchased insurance after receiving the ‘fatal prognosis,’ the policy will not pay out until after his death.

In order to continue providing for his family in the interim, he has been forced to continue working despite his severe illness.

Jonnie and his wife Jessica Holmes have a three-year-old son, Rex, and two-year-old twins, Rafe and Cormac. In retrospect, he believes it was a mistake not to purchase ‘critical illness’ insurance, which would have allowed him to cease working as soon as he was diagnosed.

Two years ago, the presenter was given six months to live. On Thursday’s Morning Live, he told broadcasters Gethin Jones and Kimberley Walsh that he wished he had handled his life insurance differently.

“So when you get a terminal diagnosis, it covers you for when you’re gone,” he explained. ‘But a terminal diagnosis can go on for years and it will affect…your illness affects your work, so if you’re unable to work and you’re waiting for this payout, who is going to pay the rent?

“So critical illness is a policy you take alongside that and that kicks in as soon as you’re ill.

“I didn’t take that and that put a lot of pressure on having to work on days when I didn’t want to go to work, and that’s one mistake I say to everyone.”

Jonnie, who previously stated that he was “showered with love” after disclosing his cancer diagnosis, said as much lately.

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