TV star is left 'feeling sick' by scammers who used late Jonnie Irwin’s name to con people out of money

A TV presenter has spoken out about her shock and disgust after finding out scammers have been using late Jonnie Irwin’s name to con people out of money.

Laura Hamilton, who presented A Place in the Sun alongside Irwin for around ten years, said she was horrified to find out about how fraudsters have targeted people using her late friend’s name.

The Channel 4 television presenter, aged 41, ran the London Marathon earlier this year in support of the WellChild charity, and in Irwin’s memory. She raised around £5,500 for the good cause, but her happiness was short-lived when she realised scammers had cruelly been using her name, and Irwin’s, to get cash from victims.

She told The Sun: ‘I raised five and a half grand for them, but after I ran the marathon there were people saying, ‘do you know there are people setting up scam pages saying, I’m still fundraising for the marathon and still trying to get donations?’ She added: ‘They weren’t legitimately for the charity and that just makes me feel sick that people were willing to do that when I was running. I had an official Just Giving page and then there are scammers that are sucking people in saying, ‘oh yeah, we’re still trying to fundraise’ and that is so terrible”.

TV presenter Irwin, who was known for hosting TV shows such as Escape to the Country, died of terminal lung cancer at the age of 50 on February 2, having been diagnosed with the disease in 2020. Irwin left behind his wife Jessica, whom he had been married to since 2016, and their three young songs; Rex, five, and twins Cormac and Rafa, two.

Laura, who joined A Place In The Sun in 2012, posted a tribute to Irwin on social media after he died. Alongside a black and white picture of him, she wrote: “Without doubt one of the best . . . Funny, intelligent, kind hearted, one of a kind, Jonnie you will forever be missed.” She also added that the team was ‘heartbroken’ to lose him, calling him “a member of their A Place in the Sun family” and adding they will “miss him terribly”.

The scam has come to light just months after fraudsters pretended to be Hairy Biker Si King to apparently con people out of money in the wake of his co-star Dave Myers' death. Just weeks after Myer’s death from cancer in February, the Hairy Bikers team warned fans that fake profiles were appearing on social media, one with links to a site where people could pay a donation that is said to be in Myers' name - but it’s all false.

Hamilton, who is also a mum-of-two has had issues with fraudsters online before. Fake social media accounts were set up with her profile picture last year, and she had to warn her fans not to interact with any of them. On her genuine account, she wrote: “If you look at my Instagram page, it says this is my only page, it’s just madness that people seem to do it and it’s very frustrating.”