A Place in the Sun presenter Jonnie Irwin is speaking up about his devastating mistake adding he was forced to continue working despite having terminal cancer because he failed to take out 'critical illness' cover.
The broadcaster, 49, has lung cancer which has spread to his brain. While he had taken out insurance for getting the 'terminal diagnosis', this will not pay out until he has died.
He has therefore had to carry on working, despite being so ill, as it was the only way to continue providing an income for his family in the meantime.
Jonnie has son Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac with his wife Jessica Holmes. He says in hindsight it was a mistake not to take out 'critical illness' cover so he could have stopped working as soon as he was diagnosed.
The presenter was told he had six months to live two years ago. Appearing on Thursday's Morning Live, he told hosts Gethin Jones and Kimberley Walsh he wished he'd done things differently with life insurance.
'So when you get a terminal diagnosis, it covers you for when you're gone,' he said. '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 recently said he was 'showered with love' after speaking out about his cancer diagnosis,