I am sorry and ashamed after BBC sacking – Jenas
Jermaine Jenas has expressed deep regret and a sense of failure following his dismissal from his role as a BBC presenter.
Speaking to the Sun newspaper, Jenas admitted feeling “ashamed” and said he has “let everybody down” after being terminated for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to two colleagues on the One Show.
He clarified that while the messages were sent to “two consenting adults,” he maintained that he had “done nothing illegal.” Jenas, who previously hosted Match of the Day and the One Show, described his actions as a “huge error of judgment” and expressed his remorse, asserting that he is “not a sex pest.”
The 41-year-old, who is married with four children, disclosed that he is undergoing therapy and acknowledged that his behavior fell short of the BBC’s standards. He said, “I feel so ashamed. I’ve let everybody down—my colleagues, my friends, and, most importantly, my family.”
The BBC has not provided additional details about the allegations and confirmed Jenas’s departure on Thursday. According to Jenas, he was informed of his termination during a video call while on a family holiday, five days after the allegations were brought to the BBC’s attention.
In a heartfelt and occasionally tearful interview with the Sun, Jenas stated that while “nothing physical ever happened,” he viewed his actions as a form of “cheating.” He reflected on the opportunity he had been given and acknowledged that he feels he has “lost everything” as a result of his actions.
“I feel like people are judging me and that I am the number one target right now in the country.”
Jenas said he owed “everyone an apology, especially the women” he was messaging, and added: “I am sorry for what I have put them through.”
He denied sending any explicit pictures or video, the Sun reported.
Jenas was presenting on talkSport Drive when the news of his BBC dismissal broke on Thursday.
Asked about the allegations on air, he repeatedly refused to be drawn on why he had been sacked and said he was “speaking to lawyers”.
On the same day, his profile was removed from his agent’s website.
Jenas earned between £190,000 and £194,999 at the BBC in the last financial year for his work on coverage of football including the FA Cup, Match of the Day and the World Cup.
His salary for his work on The One Show has not been made public because it is paid by BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial production company, which doesn’t reveal how much it pays presenters.
Jenas made his footballing debut at 17, and played for his boyhood team Nottingham Forest, followed by Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
He made 21 appearances for England and retired in 2016 before beginning a career in the media.
The ex-Premier League footballer also works for TNT Sports as a pundit and co-commentator, and fronts their Formula E racing coverage.
A Formula E spokesperson said Jenas was part of the Formula E presenting team for season 10, which ended in July, and the presenting line-up for the next season will be announced “in due course”.
They continued: “This decision will be carefully considered, taking into account the high standards we expect to be upheld at Formula E.”
TNT has not commented about his future with the broadcaster.
Jenas’s agency, MC Saatchi, no longer represents him and his profile on the site now displays a “page not found” notice.
