A Place in the Sun presenter Jonnie Irwin shared heart-breaking news with HELLO! in November last year that he has terminal cancer. Since then, the star has given a second interview detailing his special dying wishes.
Jonnie lives with his wife Jess as well as his three sons, Rex, four-and-a-half, and twins Rafa and Cormac, who will be three later this month.
In the interview, Jonnie spoke about wishing to die at his Newcastle home, rather than in a hospice or hospital. He said: "I really want to be at home and Jess is fine with that. And apparently, I'll go peacefully when I do go. I'll just require more and more sleep."
This is the property that he's been painstakingly doing up to make it into the perfect home as a legacy for his children.
Their lounge has been overhauled with a modern log burner and beautiful interiors and their bathroom has been utterly transformed into a hotel-worthy space.
Another of Jonnie's dying wishes is in regard to future changes at the house. He hopes the family will continue living there, in a home that he's provided and renovated. In a video clip, the star laughed as he warned his family never to rip out the lounge's window.
SEE: 8 adorable photos of Jonnie Irwin's sons
"This room is by my design and hopefully it stands up to the test of time," Jonnie said while sat in a leather chair in their chic lounge. "Don't you dare break that window up," smiled Jonnie, referring to the large pane of glass installed behind him, looking out over their idyllic garden.
Watch the tear-jerking video of Jonnie speaking about his legacy for his children
The presenter kept his cancer battle private for two whole years before breaking his silence with HELLO!.
"I want to make memories and capture these moments with my family because the reality is, my boys are going to grow up not knowing their dad and that breaks my heart,” said Jonnie.
So far, they have chosen not to tell their sons about their dad's illness. "I keep being asked, 'Are you going to tell them?' But tell them what?" he asks, exasperated. "It would be horrible news that they'd have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex – he's got a shocking enough day coming. Let's bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible."
MORE: A Place In The Sun star Jonnie Irwin's moving life lesson amid cancer diagnosis
© InstagramThe star was in Italy in August 2020, filming for A Place in the Sun, when he got the first warning sign that something was wrong when he suffered blurry vision while driving.
Tests revealed he had lung cancer which had spread to his brain. Jonnie and Jess remain strong for their gorgeous boys.
See more beautiful photos from the HELLO! shoot with Jonnie and his beloved family
