Jermaine Jenas has been fired by the BBC after being accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Jenas worked with the group as an expert and presenter on Match of the Day and as a presenter on The One Show. He previously hosted MOTDx, a spin-off show aimed at younger audiences.
Which was cancelled last season. Before moving into the world of punditry, Jenas had a successful playing career with Tottenham, QPR and Newcastle, and made 21 international appearances for the England national team.
PIC
In a BBC spokesperson said: “We can confirm that he is no longer part of our presenter roster,” before the BBC confirmed that Jenas had been fired for “conduct at the workplace.”
Jenas last hosted The One Show with Alex Jones on 22 July, having participated in the Match of the Day round on 4 May.
He worked for the BBC during the 2024 European Championships, serving as co-commentator for Spain’s semi-final win over France. Oddly enough, when news of his departure from the BBC broke, Jenas had already taken up a new role as a presenter for talkSPORT.
Jenas, who frequently appears on the station as a guest but never as a main presenter, and fellow former Premier League player Jermaine Pennant were in the spotlight on the sports radio station’s drive-time show.
The former Three Lions midfielder was last seen on air commentating on Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Ipswich for TNT Sports on Saturday.
BBC News said his departure was due to “attitude” after issues with text messaging and other digital communications were flagged up internally. A complaint was made several weeks ago, which resulted in Jenas being removed from his role as presenter.
The BBC immediately launched an internal investigation after concerns were raised about Jenas’s behaviour “several weeks ago” and he was quietly removed from the broadcaster’s official channels. Following a routine check, Jenas’ contract has now been terminated.
The BBC’s new sporting director, Alex Kajelski, is said to be heavily involved in the entire process. Jenas is thought to no longer be appearing for the BBC.
Official figures released last year showed that Jenas was paid between £190,000 and £194,999 for her BBC role.
Jermaine Jenas on TalkSport on Thursday afternoon after the news broke about him being sacked by the BBC
It has also been claimed that Jenas has split with her long-time agents, MC Search, due to a crisis. This has been removed from their website. Jenas is said to have hired a lawyer to clear her name. It is unclear whether TNT is aware of Jenas’ departure from BBC or the reasons for it.
After retiring at the age of 31, Jenas quickly moved into the professional field. During his 14-year senior career and 21 international matches, he made 436 professional appearances for the club. He scored a goal for his country against Switzerland at Wembley in 2008, but a knee injury eventually forced him to end his career early.
Now 41 years old, he joined The One Show in 2020 and began co-hosting with Alex Jones, becoming a permanent presenter a year later.
As well as working on TNT’s football coverage, he also works as the main presenter for Formula E, a role he took on last year. It is unclear whether his departure from the BBC will affect the role. Formula E has been approached for comment.
Last December Jenas, who founded the Aquinas Foundation in 2012 to support the ambitions of young people in schools across Nottingham, received an honorary doctorate in sport from Nottingham Trent University.
Jenas, a father of four, married his wife Ellie in 2011. The couple have two daughters and a young son. Jenas also has an older daughter from a previous relationship who lives with her mother in the US.
Her departure from the BBC comes after the BBC’s board announced an independent investigation into the company culture. “We remain concerned about potential inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, particularly in creative and editorial environments.
“Challenges related to power imbalances in the workplace are a challenge for many employers but the BBC must adhere to the highest standards. The BBC has clearly defined values ​​and a strong code of conduct and has made great progress in recent years.
“This means the board will commission an independent review to recommend practical steps to strengthen a working culture that is consistent with the BBC’s values.” The long-term successor to the company’s premier football programme.
Jenas said in 2021: “Match of the Day is the biggest job in television and if the opportunity arose I would of course say yes.
“If Gary decides this is it, the BBC will no doubt consider it and decide who is best suited for the job. However, it now looks as though his dream of taking the reins as Lineker’s successor will no longer be realised.” The rags were laid low.