04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jermaine Jenas shares raunchy text messages which saw him 'lose everything'
Former England international Jermaine Jenas has spoken out about the X-rated texts that got sent to his colleagues and led to him getting the sack from the BBC
Former Match of the Day and The One Show presenter Jermaine Jenas has opened up about the explicit 'sexts' that threw him into the headlines last August and eventually led to his sacking as a Prime Time host.
The x-rated texts were uncovered last year with his 14-year marriage to Ellie Penfold soon breaking down in the aftermath leading to a divorce just a few months later in March.
At the time Ellie announced the split: "I never imagined I would have to share something so personal with the public, but given the situation, I feel it's necessary. After 16 years together and 4 wonderful children, Jermaine and I have decided to part ways.
"We will remain friends and continue to co-parent. We kindly ask that you respect our children's privacy during this challenging time."
Speaking to Comedian Katherine Ryan on his and boxer Derek Chisora's podcast Let Me Tell You Something, Jenas revealed: 'I broke a vow. I feel my level of punishment was up there. I had to take it and have some broad shoulders and handle it, and I feel like I did that.'
The star even likened the texts to something out of the raunchy novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, likening himself to one of the main characters, he added: "It was Christian Grey in text messages, put it that way.
"It was sexting, as simple as that, but it was initiated to me and then I responded. It wasn't just me going out of my way and it definitely 100% wasn't 'if you do this I will help you in your work'. There was no power element to it going on.'
He also revealed the texts happened during a bad time for him and his now ex-wife, telling listeners the pair were in turmoil at the time.
"There's a lot of stuff with me and Ellie where we weren't in the best place ourselves," he added "And things were just spiralling a little bit. In no way is that blame. I'm fully accepting responsibility.
"I dealt with it wrong and got heavily punished for it by losing pretty much everything that I had at that time.'
The scandal culminated with an HR meeting with senior BBC execs that included reading out of the string of inappropriate texts he'd sent before his contract was officially ended.
In an interview with The Sun at the time he added: 'I am ashamed, and I am deeply sorry."
He also revealed that while on holiday he'd had another meeting with BBC execs about the texts, that he'd lied to his family about.
In the aftermath, he also lost gigs presenting for the electric racing series Formula E, and despite being part of Soccer Aid coverage in previous years, this year ITV chose to favour Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott.
