Jermaine Jenas shared that he feels upset after being let go by the BBC due to claims of inappropriate behavior.
Jermaine Jenas, 41, who hosted The One Show and was a commentator on Match of the Day, had his contract ended by the BBC this week. The BBC began investigating after a female staff member complained about text messages he sent her.
On Thursday at 3:39 p.m., Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski sent an email to staff, saying, “I wanted to let you know that Jermaine Jenas is no longer working for the BBC.” A BBC spokesperson confirmed, “He is no longer part of our presenting team.”
Advertisement Jermaine Jenas, through a spokesperson, said, “I can’t talk about it right now. I’m not happy, though—there are always two sides to a story. I’ll be discussing this with my lawyers.”
During an interview with TalkSPORT News on Thursday night, Jermaine Jenas was asked about his dismissal. He didn’t say much about it but mentioned, “I’m not happy about this. I’ll be talking to my lawyers, and that’s all I can say right now.”
“I need to talk to my lawyers about this situation. I’m really not happy with how things turned out, but I have to let the lawyers handle it. It’s a strange situation, and there are definitely two sides to it. Right now, my lawyers are managing everything, and it’s tough.”
Jermaine Jenas was let go due to claims of inappropriate behavior involving a female employee of The One Show. According to BBC News, this includes text messages and other digital communications.
Jenas also hosted MOTDx, a spin-off show for younger viewers that was canceled last season. Before becoming a pundit, he had a successful soccer career, playing for Tottenham, QPR, and Newcastle, and earning 21 caps for England’s national team.
Jermaine Jenas last hosted The One Show with Alex Jones on July 22 and was on the Match of the Day panel on May 4. He also worked for the BBC during Euro 2024, where he was a co-commentator for Spain’s semi-final win against France.
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The BBC quickly started an internal investigation after concerns about Jenas’ behavior were raised a few weeks ago. He was quietly removed from the BBC’s official channels, and after looking into the matter, they ended his contract.
Kay-Jelski was deeply involved in this process. People think Jenas won’t be seen on the BBC again. Last year, official figures showed he was paid between £190,000 and £194,999 for his work with the BBC.
Jenas has also ended his partnership with his long-time agents, MC Saatchi, who represent celebrities like Harry Redknapp. He has already been taken off their website.
While news about Jenas leaving the BBC was spreading, he was already starting a new job as a presenter on talkSPORT. Though he had been a guest on the station before, this was his first time as the main host. He and another former Premier League player, Jermaine Pennant, were hosting the drive-time show on the sports radio station.
During his 14-year soccer career, Jenas played in 436 professional matches and earned 21 caps for England. He scored one goal for England against Switzerland at Wembley in 2008. Unfortunately, a knee injury forced him to retire earlier than he had planned.
After retiring from soccer, Jenas started working in broadcasting. He joined The One Show in 2020 and became a permanent host the following year. Besides his work for TNT covering football, he also began hosting Formula E last year.
In December, Jenas received an honorary Doctor of Sport degree from Nottingham Trent University. He started the Aquinas Foundation in 2012 to help young people in Nottingham schools.
Jenas, who is married to Ellie and has four children, tied the knot in 2011. They have two daughters and a baby son, and Jenas has an older daughter from a previous relationship who lives in the U.S. with her mother.
His departure from the BBC comes after the company announced a review of its workplace culture due to concerns about inappropriate behavior, especially in creative and editorial areas.
“Workplace power imbalances are a problem for many companies, but the BBC needs to hold itself to the highest standards. The BBC has clear Values and a strong Code of Conduct, and they have made progress in recent years.”
“However, the Board will start an independent review to suggest ways to improve the workplace culture and ensure it matches BBC Values.”
Jenas has expressed interest in replacing Gary Lineker as the host of Match of the Day. In 2021, he said, “Hosting Match of the Day is a huge job, and I would definitely say yes if given the chance. When Gary decides to step down, I’m sure the BBC will look for the best person for the job.”
Source: Mirror