Jermaine Jenas apologises over inappropriate texts admitting 'it was cheating'

Shamed Jermaine Jenas has admitted sending inappropriate texts after being sacked by the BBC following allegations of his behaviour and says he is "ashamed" of himself. The former footballer wants to make it clear he hasn't done anything illegal and has apologised if he made any of the women he had messaged feel uncomfortable.

Jenas is currently grasping at straws to save his career and spoke of his disgrace after his world collapsed on August 23 following the corporation's confirmation and an "excruciating" meeting with HR and execs, reports the Mirror.

Speaking a day after his texting scandal once again rocked the under-fire BBC, the former One Show star said: "I am ashamed, and I am deeply sorry. I have let myself down, my family, friends and colleagues down.

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"I owe everyone an apology, especially the women with whom I was messaging. I am so, so sorry."

But he went on to tell The Sun: “I did nothing illegal. These were inappropriate messages between two consenting adults.”

He said before Thursday's public storm that he booked himself in for therapy to try and address his issues. The BBC launched an immediate internal probe after complaints were flagged about the 41-year-old's behaviour "a few weeks ago" and he was quietly removed from the broadcaster's official channels.

After routine enquiries, his contract was terminated. The star lives with wife Ellie Penfold, their three children, and Jenas' daughter from a previous relationship, with the family residing in a plush£1 million Hertfordshire mansion.

Jenas has now confessed to 'self-sabotage' while admitting "I have a self-destructive streak". His shock sacking comes after the BBC's governing body announced an independent review into the broadcaster's workplace culture.

It stated: "We remain concerned about the potential for inappropriate workplace behaviour, particularly in creative and editorial environments."

BBC bosses insist he will struggle to refute claims he sent inappropriate messages to junior staff as they claim "strong" evidence of allegations led to him being sacked from The One Show and Match of the Day. One BBC insider close to the internal probe said: “He really doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

“He has done some things that are incompatible with our values and what we think is appropriate in the workplace. It’s a clear abuse of power and there’s no room here for anything of that nature.

“This is not just a flirty text which might get you a b*****king, he was completely over the line and we have absolute evidence of that.”

Sources said Jenas is not expected to claim he has been unfairly dismissed, despite his ­insistence there are “two sides to every story”.

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