A Place In The Sun's Jasmine Harman in tears as she remembers Jonnie Irwin
The presenter opened up during an emotional appearance on ITV's Loose Women
What did you miss?
Jasmine Harman broke down in tears as she said everyone could "take something" from her late A Place In The Sun co-star Jonnie Irwin and his cancer battle.
Irwin passed away in February at the age of 50, after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer that spread to his brain. He had been open about his battle, documenting it on social media and sharing how determined he was to make memories with his three little boys, and fans were devastated when he died.
Appearing on ITV's Loose Women on Wednesday, Harman opened up about her grief as she shared that Irwin's wife Jess wanted people to "keep his memory alive".
What, how and why?
"You never know what's around the corner," the TV star said as she wiped away tears. "And I think, Jonnie's situation, we can all take something from it... we can all just cherish every day and live with as much joy as possible. And that's what he did."
Harman and Irwin worked together for many years, with both presenters on A Place In The Sun from 2004. "We started our television careers together and we met, funnily enough, on the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, where we filmed the pilot for A Place In The Sun," she said. "Jonnie had just flown out for the weekend to do a bit of filming."
Glancing at some of the images of the pair being shown on Loose Women, she confessed: "Looking at these old photos chokes me up actually."
Harman went on: "We didn't always film together because we were always in different countries but we used to get together at live events all the time, we became very good friends. Jonnie came to my wedding, he was the butt of a few of my dad's jokes when my dad did his speech.
"And when Jonnie met Jess, his lovely wife, I just remember thinking, 'Wow she is the one for him' and then they had their lovely boys. It's really a hard time."
The TV star added that Jess wants people to remember Irwin and to talk about him in order to "keep his memory alive". "She is an amazing woman," she added. "The outpouring of love for him has been amazing."
Jonnie Irwin's cancer fight
Irwin was told that he had terminal lung cancer in 2020 and went public with his diagnosis in 2022. He later told fans that he kept his illness quiet at first because he didn't want to be treated any differently and also because he was concerned about not continuing to get work.
He told Hello magazine that after being diagnosed he was given just months to live, and that it was "devastating" telling Jess, mum to his sons Rex, four, and three-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
“I had to go home and tell my wife, who was looking after our babies, that she was on her own pretty much,” he said. “That was devastating. All I could do was apologise to her. I felt so responsible."
He continued to be open about his battle with fans on social media, talking about his treatments and sharing snaps of some of the things he got up to with his family as he stressed the importance of making memories that would last for his young children.
But in February this year, it was announced that the presenter had passed away. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing," said a post on his Instagram.
"A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage."
It went on: "Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit... As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts."
