Jermaine Jenas has apologised for sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues after he was sacked from presenting The One Show and Match of the Day after “reports were made of inappropriate behaviour”.
“I am ashamed, and I am deeply sorry. I have let myself down, my family, friends and colleagues down, and I owe everyone an apology — especially the women with whom I was messaging. I am so, so sorry. I am sorry for what I have put them through,” the former football star has said.
“I think it would be fair to say I have a problem. I know I self- sabotage and have a self-destructive streak when it comes to my relationship especially, and I know I need help. And I am getting help.”
The 41-year-old told The Sun that he had already been speaking to his “private doctor and after a long discussion, booked in for therapy to try and address these issues, where they stem from, and why I have been doing this and hurting the people I love”.
Jermaine also claimed the women he was messaging were “two consenting adults I was speaking to,” and said that he needed to “defend his space” because of false narratives.
“I wasn’t going through some kind of BBC vault trying to get women’s numbers. I’m obviously going to say I’m not a sex pest. These were consenting adults I was texting,” he added.
A BBC spokesperson previously told HELLO! that Jermaine was “no longer” part of their presenting line-up; he was fired over a Zoom call.
HELLO! has reached out to Jermaine’s representatives for more information. PA has since confirmed that his agency MC Saatchi also no longer represents him.
Jermaine has been married to his wife, Ellie Penfold, since 2011 and they have three children together: Geneva, 11, Olivia, eight, and two-year-old son Jacob. He also has a 16 year-old daughter called Sancha from a previous relationship.
He lives with Ellie, a former model, in a £1 million home in Hertfordshire.
