Jermaine Jenas breaks silence after BBC sacking over 'inappropriate behaviour'

Jermaine Jeans has broken his silence after he was axed from the BBC over alleged inappropriate behaviour.

The former England football star who presented The One Show and worked as a pundit on Match of the Day, had his contract terminated by the broadcaster this week. It comes after bosses at the BBC received a complaint about text messages sent by the presenter last month, sparking an internal probe.

Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski emailed staff at 3.39pm on Thursday saying simply: “I wanted to let you know that Jermaine Jenas is no longer working for the BBC.” A BBC spokesperson said: “We can confirm that he is no longer part of our presenting line up."

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Through a spokesperson, Jenas said: "Right now I can’t talk about it. I can tell you I’m not happy - there are two sides to every story - and I’m going to be speaking with my lawyers on the issue."

Jenas was fired by the corporation over claims of inappropriate behaviour involving a female member of BBC staff, The Mirror reports. According to BBC News, this involves digital communications, including text messages.

Jenas also previously fronted the MOTDx show, a spin-off programme aimed at younger audiences which was scrapped last season. Before moving into punditry, Jenas enjoyed a successful playing career for Tottenham, QPR and Newcastle, as well as earning 21 caps for the England senior team.

He last presented The One Show alongside Alex Jones on July 22, and appeared on the Match of the Day panel on May 4. The former midfielder did work for the BBC on Euro 2024, acting as co-commentator for Spain's semi-final victory over France.

The BBC launched an immediate internal investigation after concerns were raised about Jenas' behaviour "a few weeks ago" and he was quietly removed from the broadcaster's official channels. After routine enquiries, Jenas' contract was terminated.

Kay-Jelski is understood to have been heavily involved in this whole process. There is a belief Jenas will not be seen back on the BBC in the future. Jenas had been paid between £190,000 and £194,999 for his roles on the BBC according to official figures published last year.

Jenas has also parted ways with his long-term agents, MC Saatchi - who represent big-name celebrities including Harry Redknapp - as a result of the crisis. He has already been removed from their website.

Strangely, as the news of Jenas’ departure from the BBC was filtering out, he was already working in a new role, presenting on talkSPORT. Jenas, who has often appeared on the station as a guest but never the main presenter, and another former Premier League footballer, Jermaine Pennant , were in the hot seats for the sport radio station’s drive time show.

He made 436 professional appearances for clubs during a 14-year senior career, as well as his 21 England caps. He scored one goal for his country, against Switzerland, at Wembley, in 2008, but a knee injury ultimately meant he had to retire early.

That led to a move into broadcasting, and he started work on The One Show in 2020, before being a permanent host a year later. As well as his work for TNT on their football coverage, he also works as the main presenter for Formula E, a role he began last year.

Last December, Jenas, who set up the Aquinas Foundation in 2012 to help raise the aspirations of young people in schools across Nottingham - was handed a Doctor of Sport honorary degree by Nottingham Trent University.

Jenas, a father of four, tied the knot wife wife Ellie back in 2011. They have two daughters and a baby son. Jenas also has an older daughter from a previous relationship, who lives in the United States with her mother.

His BBC exit comes after the governing board of the company 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.

"Whilst challenges related to power imbalances in the workplace are a challenge for multiple employers, the BBC must hold itself to the highest standards. The BBC has clearly articulated Values and a strong Code of Conduct and there has been much progress in recent years.

"That said, the Board will commission an independent review that will make recommendations on practical steps that could strengthen a workplace culture in line with BBC Values."

Jenas has long made it clear he wants to replace Lineker as Match of the Day host. Speaking in 2021, he said: "Match Of The Day is the biggest job on television, and if I ever got the opportunity of course I'd say yes. When Gary decides to call it a day, I'm sure the BBC will have a look around and decide who's the best fit for the job."

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