Jermaine Jenas was left no room to manoeuvre by BBC bosses after they conducted a secret investigation his inappropriate messages.
The 41-year-old former Premier League footballer was tipped for the top at the BBC, with chiefs lining him up to takeover from Gary Lineker at the helm of Match of the Day, as well as his role hosting on The One Show, but after a female junior member of staff complained about Jenas’ messages, the corporation undertook an investigation and compiled a dossier of evidence that the ex-footballer could not deny, according to The Mail on Sunday.
Jenas was sacked with immediate effect by the BBC during the week after bosses, including director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski were involved in weeks of investigation into the behaviour of Jenas and the unsolicited texts that he had sent.
This led to Jenas, who was earning £190,000-a-year at Auntie Beeb, to being dismissed via a video call while on holiday with wife, model Ellie Penfold and their three children.
An insider told the media outlet:
‘This was a pretty clinical dismissal. Unlike some of the messy situations the Beeb have been in recent years with problematic staff behaviour, this investigation was already done. It left him no room to fight back.”
Staff are reportedly unhappy that Jenas looked to defend himself in an interview with The Sun, in which he claimed that the messages were between “consenting adults” with one insider telling The Mail on Sunday: “Jermaine has a certain reputation at the BBC for being a ladies’ man. He was loved by the bosses… and he knew it. That meant he was in a position of power, he was the star and not just any star, a former England footballer.”
The insider added: “If someone like that messages you, it’s awkward to say no to them or to ask them to stop. There is a certain element of fear that comes with not replying.”
After beginning at BT Sport as a football pundit, Jenas landed the hosting gig on Match of the Day spin-off series MOTDx. He then joined The One Show line-up in 2021 alongside co-hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp, which propelled him to being a household name.
Guilt-ridden Jermaine has admitted sending inappropriate texts after being sacked by the BBC following allegations of inappropriate behaviour and says he is “ashamed” of himself. But the former footballer stressed he has done nothing illegal and said sorry if he made any of the women he had messaged feel uncomfortable.
Speaking after his texting scandal once again rocked the under-fire BBC, the former One Show star denied sending any explicit pictures or videos. But he said: “I am ashamed, and I am deeply sorry. I have let myself down, my family, friends and colleagues down. I owe everyone an apology, especially the women with whom I was messaging. I am so, so sorry.” But he went on to say : “I did nothing illegal. These were inappropriate messages between two consenting adults.”
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Source: Los Angeles Times (edited)
