Jermaine Jenas has admitted sending inappropriate text messages to women at the BBC and says he has “let himself down” by revealing his marriage is in crisis.
In an explosive confession, the defiant star said he is “ashamed” and “deeply sorry” – admitting to “frantically” sexting a woman for 24 hours after she gave him her number at a work event.
But he said The sun He is not a “sexual harasser” and has to defend himself. However, he went on to say that he lied to his wife after he was informed of the allegations in order to “find a way out of this mess.”
The scandal-plagued broadcasting company fired Jenas in an excruciating video call, while he was on a family holiday in Marbella, Spain, with his wife Ellie and their three children.
Jenas called it “grim,” having to “sit there and listen to what he had said” while four people on the Zoom call read his inappropriate text messages.
This comes after a source close to the company claimed the text messages were “totally over the top” and that Jenas “has no arguments to defend herself” over the “flirtatious messages” that led to her firing.
Married former footballer Jenas, 41, was sacked by the corporation after women complained about his workplace conduct and a junior member of staff, who is said to have previously been impressed by the BBC star, raised concerns over alleged flirtatious text messages.
The corporation acted “swiftly and decisively” because “the BBC cannot be considered slow to act,” said one source.
The Defiant star said he is “ashamed” and “deeply remorseful” and admitted to “frantically” sexting a woman for 24 hours after she gave him her number at a work event.
The One Show presenter pictured at Wimbledon this year with his wife Ellie Penfold
Jermaine Jenas has admitted sending inappropriate text messages to women at the BBC and says he has “let himself down” by revealing his marriage is in crisis. Pictured here with wife Ellie
Jermaine Jenas “went completely over the line” and “has no business defending himself” over the “flirtatious messages” that led to his sacking from the BBC, a source has claimed.
Jenas is pictured arriving at the 2024 Shein Women’s Football Awards at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, London.
He has now been removed from the screen after being sacked by the BBC for allegedly sending inappropriate messages.
But some criticised the broadcaster for firing Jenas, suggesting it was concerned about its reputation in light of recent scandals.
Jenas, who has been married to Ellie for 13 years and has four children, said he is considering suing the BBC over its handling of the situation.
His wife has not spoken to him “properly” since she found out about the scandal and is “absolutely furious” – she kicked him out of his bedroom at their £1million Hertfordshire home and he doesn’t know if she will forgive him.
He told her honestly that he had been fired after she believed he would return to The One Show.
Jenas insisted he had done nothing illegal and that the messages had been between consenting adults, one of whom he said had made it clear she was interested in him. He denied sending any indecent images or videos.
He told The Sun he was “very, very sorry” and owed “everyone” an apology because he had let himself, his friends, his family and his colleagues down.
The married star said she “self-sabotages” and has a “self-destructive streak” but is receiving therapy.
He confessed that he believes what he did was cheat on his wife, but nothing physical happened.
The BBC sacked Jenas on Monday, five days after the initial HR process began, it revealed. The rest of the staff were informed only after the media reported on the story, and this “says everything” you need to know about how the organisation handled it.
The former football player said he was in “shock” and panicked about losing his family; he even said he thought his dog looked at him in disappointment after he confessed.
“We’re human beings and we all make mistakes, some bigger than others, and mine is a big mistake,” she said, admitting her anxiety “went through the roof.”
The mirror A BBC insider close to the internal investigation said it spoke volumes that Jenas had been dumped by his agents, M&C Saatchi Merlin.
Jermaine Jenas, 41, pictured with his wife Ellie Penfold
The former England international told his wife of 13 years, Ellie Penfold, about the allegations.
The couple married in 2011 and live together in a house in Hertfordshire (pictured above).
Jenas’s former model wife Ellie Penfold (pictured) is supporting the sacked BBC star as “a number of women” come forward to make fresh claims about his alleged “inappropriate behaviour”.
The former footballer also appears to have been deleted from the M&C Saatchi Merlin talent agency website. This is how his biographical page previously appeared
“This is not just a flirtatious text message that might get you angry. It went completely over the line and we have compelling evidence of it. It has no basis whatsoever to stand on,” the paper reported.
‘The issue was raised very recently. We discussed it, talked about it and said goodbye.
“It is a clear abuse of power and there is no room for anything of that nature here.”
The scandal comes just weeks after he was named Allied Player of the Year at the Women’s Football Awards.
Bosses at talkSPORT and TNT Sports have taken allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” very seriously and have launched their own investigation.
The radio station says he will no longer appear on the show for the “immediate future” after learning of the BBC presenter’s sacking just moments before it was due to air yesterday afternoon.
The football pundit was sacked by the BBC this week over “alleged issues relating to workplace behaviour”, which the broadcaster confirmed involved “digital communications, such as text messages, which were raised with the corporation a few weeks ago”.
Other women have since come forward and the messages allegedly sent by Jenas are being investigated.
A source said The sun There are many rumours circulating and the scandal is shrouded in secrecy, with not even top talents like Alex Jones, Alan Shearer or Gary Lineker knowing about it.
Jenas pictured on his final episode of the One Show on July 22nd this year alongside Alex Jones
In her last appearance on the One Show in July (pictured), she interviewed former pop star Will Young (pictured left).
Jermaine Jenas (left) photographed for the L’Oreal Wing Men campaign with Jamie Redknapp and Peter Crouch
talkSPORT learned of Jermaine Jenas’ sacking just moments before it was due to air yesterday and said there are no plans for him to appear in the “immediate future”.
Staff are said to be “shaken” and “shocked” by the revelation, but the corporation acted “swiftly and decisively” because “the BBC cannot be seen as slow to act”.
The source claimed the first allegation came after Jenas allegedly “sent a flirtatious message to a female employee of The One Show” and she formally raised her concerns.
Jenas’ dismissal was led by new sporting director Alex Kay-Jelski.
The corporation said: “This follows allegations involving digital communications, such as text messages, which were raised with the corporation a few weeks ago.”
According to BBC sources, Jenas will stop presenting his late-night show with immediate effect. He also appears to have been removed from the MC Saatchi agency website.
One of them told the Mail: “It was all a massive surprise but his colleagues have already found out and he won’t be coming back. His colleagues are stunned, they didn’t see it coming at all. They were kept in the dark at first. They couldn’t believe it when they found out.”
The former Premier League player began co-presenting a talkSPORT drivetime show moments after it was announced he had been dropped from all BBC presenting line-ups.
talkSPORT said: ‘There are no plans for Jermaine to broadcast as a presenter on talkSPORT in the immediate future.’
Jenas did not address the news of his dismissal during the live broadcast on Thursday night and left the News UK building after the radio show in a car.
Jenas, who played for Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, told talkSPORT News in a brief interview: ‘Look, I can’t really talk about that.
-As you can probably see, I’m not happy about this.
‘But right now, as things stand, I’m going to have to let the lawyers handle it.
“You know there are two sides to every story, as we all know. That’s all I can say for now.”