Jonnie Irwin was born on 18 November 1973 in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, to Avie and James Irwin, a property developer. He grew up on a farm in Leicestershire, which helped shape his interest in property and rural life.

He studied estate management at Birmingham City University before starting his career in property, working for firms such as Christie & Co and Colliers International.

Irwin rose to national fame in 2004 when he became co-presenter of A Place in the Sun on Channel 4. He later joined Escape to the Country on BBC One in 2010, where he helped house-hunters find rural homes across the UK.

Alongside presenting, he worked as a business consultant, writer, and event host. He continued working even after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, publicly sharing his illness in 2022.

Irwin lived with his wife and children in the UK before his death on 2 February 2024 at age 50