‘It takes some balls to do that’: What Jermaine Jenas was really like behind the scenes at Match of The Day and why his wife is only standing by him ‘for now’, revealed by KATIE HIND
As I read through this article, it’s clear that Jermaine Jenas‘ career at the BBC has taken a dramatic turn for the worse, and not just because of his recent sacking. It seems that his personal conduct towards his female colleagues may have been less than professional, which is unfortunate given his long-term commitment to his wife Ellie.
Over a week ago, I was overjoyed to learn that the talent representative for BBC’s up-and-coming star, Jermaine Jenas, reached out to us at talkSPORT, proposing his talents as a presenter here. It felt almost too good to be true!
Essentially, the Corporation had been cultivating Jenas as a potential successor to Gary Lineker on Match of the Day if he decides to step down in the foreseeable future.
Due to the high anticipation, they immediately started adjusting their schedules secretly, eager to find an appropriate time for broadcasting’s top talent, a renowned ex-England soccer player turned presenter, on their network.
But by any measure the timing of the presenter’s first broadcast was . . . unfortunate.
In the late afternoon on Thursday, just moments before he was set to go live on air with former England teammate Jermaine Pennant, the broadcaster received news (from another media outlet under the News UK umbrella) about a rumor that Jenas had been let go from his £190,000-a-year position at the BBC, allegedly due to sending unwanted text messages to junior staff members.
A source from talkSPORT mentioned that senior figures within our network were just receiving whispers of a potential problem at the BBC, with less than 30 minutes remaining before their broadcast.
Instead of lowering his head in embarrassment or reaching out to explain himself to the broadcaster, Jenas appeared determined to weather the storm and go ahead with his scheduled appearance on the airwaves.
According to the source, Jermaine remained silent, implying he believed he could hide it. It definitely takes courage to act that way. He appeared to think he could find a way to handle this situation without anyone noticing – that things would return to normal if he kept his head low and continued as usual.
Shortly following his 4 pm broadcast, it became public knowledge, as reported by the Mail, that the rumors were validated; Jenas had, in fact, been dismissed from the BBC, where he was a presenter on The One Show.
In scenes reminiscent of a captivating TV drama, Jenas, 41 years old, displayed the same tenacity that carried him to the pinnacle of his sport, as a midfielder for Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest. He delivered an impressive performance marked by patience, composure, and skill.
With his cell phone screen glowing brightly and buzzing vigorously beside him, likely due to messages from relatives, acquaintances, and reporters, Jenas endeavored to project an aura of calm professionalism.
It was to no avail.
As one source put it to me: ‘He looked like he was going to be sick.’
The source mentioned that Jermaine’s phone barely ceased its vibration. It was unyielding, causing it to tremble on the desk before him. He persisted in speaking, managing to maintain a highly professional demeanor amidst the disturbances. Somehow, he managed to continue without completely losing his cool, though it was evident that he was concerned. However, if Jermaine was truly agitated, he has yet to reveal it publicly.
Later on, he had a brief conversation with a news anchor from talkSPORT, choosing not to disclose any specifics about his termination.
He said: ‘Look, I can’t really talk about it. I, as you can probably see, I am not happy about it.
‘But currently, as it stands, I’m going to have to let the lawyers deal with it.
‘You know, there’s two sides to every story, as we know. So that’s all I can say right now.’
As reported by TalkSPORT, it’s been confirmed that he won’t be featuring on the show in the near term. Notably, his representation has been terminated by his agent at M&C Saatchi, a London-based agency. Richard Thompson, the agency’s head, is highly esteemed within the television industry for his role in transforming him from an athlete into a presenter.
As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but reflect on the striking transformation experienced by Jenas, a family man with three children, who hails from Nottingham and spent his early years on a city council estate. Despite the fierce competition among his footballing peers, he managed to carve out an impressive new career as a TV presenter.
His transformation commenced in 2014 on BT Sport, where he initially worked as a football commentator. Displaying potential from the start, he later moved on to host MOTDx, a spin-off of Match of the Day. However, it was his position as a presenter on The One Show, BBC’s prime-time magazine program, that made him a familiar face in many homes.
Following some successful guest spots, he secured the position of co-host on a family-friendly program in the year 2021.
Friendly, enthusiastic, and calm, he proved to be a perfect match for a program broadcast into countless homes every night. He also continued to leverage his athletic background by providing analysis during the European Championships in June.
Indeed, he blended seamlessly into the BBC environment, making it hardly unexpected that he aimed for a similar profession as another English soccer player known for excelling in broadcasting – Gary Lineker.
Lineker felt so confident that Jenas would excel as his successor, he playfully suggested that he was saving his seat for the young man.
Behind the scenes, the transition from the football field to the prime-time sofa wasn’t as effortless as it seemed on camera.
Earlier this month, a female team member from The One Show reported receiving inappropriate text messages and images from Jenas that she found unwanted.
In the wake of the Corporation’s announcement on Thursday that I was no longer part of their presentation team, I’ve learned that other women have stepped forward to share their personal encounters with me.
According to a BBC employee, it seems that his female coworkers didn’t feel the same way about him as he did towards them.
In truth, an insider confided that he views himself as quite charming with women, even though he’s been married to Ellie Penfold for 13 years. At present, it’s reported she is supporting him, but acquaintances warn that this may not always be the case.
He has confessed to Ellie, who describes herself as a ‘mummy’ and ‘wife’ on her Instagram feed and has modelled for model Katie Price’s clothing range.
The duo shares a family of three kids – daughters Geneva and Olivia, along with their baby boy Jacob. They reside in a six-bedroom house style after Tudor, located on the border between North London and Hertfordshire, which the celebrity purchased for approximately £2.8 million in 2006. This grand residence features a fitness center and indoor pool. Additionally, he has a daughter named Sancha, who is 16 years old from a past relationship, and she lives with her mother in America.
Even with his family, he was still considered an attractive prospect by many, and his appearance on prime-time TV amplified the celebrity status he’d earned on the field.
One BBC staff member commented: ‘Maybe it’s due to his football past, but he’s accustomed to receiving some attention. He’s an attractive man at the peak of his career, wealthy, successful, and well-known – if a woman indicates even a slight interest, he doesn’t hesitate to flirt aggressively. He views himself as quite charming.’
16 months ago, in an interview, I myself admitted that my co-host Ellie and I had a disagreement concerning the social engagements tied to my role on The One Show. I also confessed that we had to iron out our issues and that we opted for separate vacations. For now, it seems Roman Kemp might be taking over my presenting shifts on The One Show. However, the repercussions of this situation are likely to linger for the BBC. This fresh incident follows closely on the heels of the Huw Edwards scandal, where the broadcaster failed to disclose that their top-earning news presenter had been arrested for child pornography charges when they learned about it last November. Unfortunately, this latest dismissal is a significant blow to the pride of the BBC.
Not only that but Jenas seems to have no intention of going quietly and intends to fight.
In fact he feels he is being made a scapegoat for BBC failings over Edwards and the scandal that still surrounds Strictly Come Dancing, which sacked one of its professional dancers, Graziano Di Prima, for kicking his partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals.
Jenas thinks he has done nothing wrong. In fact, he claims he has been ‘wronged’ and has vowed to clear his name.
He has instructed lawyers who are looking at taking action against the BBC.
A friend of Jenas shared with me: “He maintains his stance, asserting it’s unjust, and refuses to accept the situation. He’s determined to prove his innocence. He thinks the outcome might have been different if the BBC hadn’t been embroiled in a major scandal, but he also emphasizes that he’s not primarily at fault.”
He repeatedly mentions that there are two versions of the tale, yet his legal advisors have cautioned him against disclosing specifics to anyone. This is being done so they can compile a case to submit to the BBC.
Meanwhile, the BBC is holding its ground. Their Director-General, Tim Davie, expresses strong disapproval towards the ex-footballer, while other high-ranking officials are reportedly feeling both upset and let down by his actions.
They are completely confident that dismissing him was the correct decision. After extensive discussions with their legal advisors specializing in employment matters, they feel secure in their choice to terminate him based on the evidence they’ve gathered.
‘Good luck to Jermaine and his legal team,’ they said.
1. ‘Should he seek a settlement, he’ll find himself facing some formidable legal opponents. In the eyes of top-tier BBC executives, they provided him with exceptional chances, and it appears that he bears the responsibility for his current situation.’
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2024-08-24 04:23