Yahoo News Jonnie Irwin reassures fans he is eating well on cancer diet
The TV presenter shared a picture of a nutritious meal he enjoyed on his new eating regime to 'starve' his cancer tumour.
Jonnie Irwin has reassured his followers he is eating well after adopting a new diet plan to "starve" his cancer tumour.
The A Place In The Sun star - who revealed last year he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer - recently met with Jane Mclelland author of a book called How To Starve Cancer.
Irwin shared a picture on Instagram of a dish of prawns in sauce captioned: "For those who are worried that I’m starving myself don’t worry. I'm not. I’m trying to starve a tumour by blocking its feeding pathways, by taking 'off label' drugs as well as a tailored diet -losing weight is deffo not the aim ! Plus exercise and key supplements with the expert help of @how_to_starve_cancer."
Read more: Jonnie Irwin still wants the 'same opportunities for fun' after cancer diagnosis
The 49-year-old TV presenter and father-of-three — also known for hosting Escape To The Country — announced in November 2022 he has terminal lung cancer which has spread to his brain, and was given six months to live by doctors.
Irwin shared on social media earlier this month: "Was a privilege to meet my mentor Jane Mclelland today, author of @how_to_starve_cancer . Her story is truly an inspiration and in my opinion a must read for anyone affected by cancer. It’s inspired me to change my lifestyle and importantly given me hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. Don’t get me wrong- it’s bloody hard but I’m on board!"
Mclelland was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer at the age of 35, and was given a one-in-20 chance of surviving five years. She has been in remission since 2004.
Irwin was diagnosed in August 2020 after his vision went blurry while away filming Channel 4 property show A Place In The Sun. But he kept his diagnosis a secret for two years.
He told Good Morning Britain: "When people find out you have got cancer... I know what I felt when I just heard the words, it's just this terrifying thing, the word cancer. And I thought, if I feel like that, everybody else will feel like that and lo and behold I lost some work through it.
"I wanted to keep it secret because professionally I didn't want to lose work but also socially and emotionally people treat you differently and people start making decisions for you."
Chemotherapy and cancer drugs have helped extend the initial prognosis and the TV presenter is determined to make the most of any time he has left with wife Jess and their three sons Rex and twins Rafa and Cormac.
Read more: Jonnie Irwin kept cancer diagnosis a secret to keep working
The TV star said: "I don’t know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I'm living with cancer, not dying from it."
He hopes by speaking out he might help inspire other people living with a terminal diagnosis "to make the most of every day" and feel "you can live a positive life, even though you are dying."
