Former footballer Jermaine Jenas says he is “not happy” with his sacking from the BBC over claims of inappropriate behaviour.
The broadcaster earlier confirmed Jenas is “no longer part” of The One Show’s “presenting line-up”.
The news of Jenas’s sacking broke as he started presenting a three-hour drive-time programme on talkSPORT radio with fellow former footballer Jermaine Pennant.
Jenas, 41, has also been dropped from his punditry and presenting duties on the BBC’s flagship football highlights programme Match Of The Day, as well as Match Of The Day 2 and Radio 5 Live.
Image: Jermaine Jenas playing for QPR in 2014. Pic: Rex Features
BBC News reported his contract was terminated earlier this week due to alleged issues relating to workplace behaviour.
It also reported the termination followed allegations involving digital communications, such as texts, which were raised with the corporation a few weeks ago.
Speaking to a talkSPORT reporter on Thursday evening, Jenas said: “I can’t really talk about it. As you can probably see, I’m not happy about it. But currently as it stands I’m going to have to let the lawyers deal with it.
“There’s two sides… that’s all I can say now.”
He added: “I’m not happy about this situation. I’m going to be speaking to my lawyers about it, is all I can say right now.”
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Jenas said he couldn’t talk about the subjects of most questions asked by the radio station but agreed with the interviewer when the latter said: “I can see you’re fuming.”
The former footballer also declined to say whether he has begun legal proceedings.
Image: Jenas presenting for TNT Sports in February. Pic: PA
In an email to employees, seen by Sky News, the BBC said: “I wanted to let you know that Jermaine Jenas is no longer working for the BBC.”
A spokesperson for talkSPORT said the station was “made aware of a breaking news story involving Jermaine Jenas as he went on air for a one-off presenting slot on talkSPORT Drive”.
A statement added: “We made a decision – with Jermaine – that he should continue to present the show.
“Given the array of serious allegations being reported as the story continues to evolve, it’s for Jermaine as a private individual to address them in the way he chooses.
“There are no plans for Jermaine to broadcast as a presenter on talkSPORT in the immediate future.”
Jenas last presented The One Show in mid-July, and last appeared on Match Of The Day in May.
Jenas, who earned between £190,000 and £194,999 at the BBC for his work on the FA Cup, Match Of The Day and the World Cup in 2022/23, also works for TNT Sports.
His salary for presenting The One Show has not been made public as the show is made by BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial production company.
Jenas made his footballing debut aged 17 for Nottingham Forest and went on to play for Newcastle United, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers during his career.
Jenas also made 21 appearances for England, scoring one goal.
Image: Jermaine Jenas playing for Newcastle United in 2002. Pic: PA
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The midfielder moved into punditry and presenting on the BBC and BT Sport after retiring from professional football in 2016.
The father-of-four joined The One Show in 2020 as a stand-in co-host following the departure of Matt Baker, and he was made a permanent fixture the following year.
His agency MC Saatchi also said it no longer represents him following the news of his sacking.
TNT Sports said it would not comment on Jenas’s employment with the BBC but it is understood that he is not scheduled to appear on the platform’s channels for a number of weeks.
Jenas was a co-commentator on the Ipswich v Liverpool match on TNT last Saturday as the Premier League returned.
It is believed that TNT Sports was unaware of the status of Jenas’s employment with the BBC.
talkSPORT did not immediately respond to Sky’s request for comment.
Prince Harry has denied having a fight with Prince Andrew after it was claimed “punches were thrown” between the pair in 2013.
The allegations appeared in excerpts from a new book on the Duke of York being serialised in the Daily Mail.
It claims a row started after Prince Andrew said something behind Harry’s back, with Andrew “left with a bloody nose” and the pair needing to be broken up.
It also claimed the Duke of York once warned his nephew about marrying Meghan and suggested it wouldn’t last long.
However, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex strongly denied the claims.
“I can confirm Prince Harryand Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry,” a statement said.
They said a legal letter had been sent to the Daily Mail due to “gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks” in its reporting.
The book – Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York – is billed as the first joint biography of Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
It’s said to be based on interviews with “over a hundred people who have never spoken before”.
He said his brother once knocked him to the floor amid a confrontation over Meghan’s “rude” and “abrasive” behaviour.
“It all happened so fast. So very fast,” Harry wrote in the book.
“He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me.”
“I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” the prince added.
Harry claimed his brother wanted him to hit him back “but I chose not to”, and that William later returned and apologised.
The Duke Of Sussex has described his relationship with his family as extremely strained after he quit as a working royal and took legal action against the media, and over the removal of his UK police protection.
He claimed earlier this year the King wouldn’t speak to him and there had “been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family”.
Martin Lewis says motorists who were mis-sold car finance are likely to receive “hundreds, not thousands of pounds” – with regulators launching a consultation on a new compensation scheme.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com believes it is “very likely” that about 40% of Britons who entered personal contact purchase or hire purchase agreements between 2007 and 2021 will be eligible for payouts.
“Discretionary commission arrangements” saw brokers and dealers charge higher levels of interest so they could receive more commission, without telling consumers.
Image: Pics: PA
Speaking to Sky News Radio’s Faye Rowlands, Lewis said: “Very rarely will it be thousands of pounds unless you have more than one car finance deal.
“So up to about a maximum of £950 per car finance deal where you are due compensation.”
Lewis explained that consumers who believe they may have been affected should check whether they had a discretionary commission arrangement by writing to their car finance company.
However, the personal finance guru warned against using a claims firm.
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“They’re hardly going to do anything for you and you might get the money paid to you automatically anyway, in which case you’re giving them 30% for nothing,” he added.
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Who’s eligible for payout after car finance scandal?
Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority said its review of the past use of motor finance “has shown that many firms were not complying with the law or our disclosure rules that were in force when they sold loans to consumers”.
The FCA’s statement added that those affected “should be appropriately compensated in an orderly, consistent and efficient way”.
Lewis told Sky News that the consultation will launch in October – and will take six weeks.
“We expect payouts to come in 2026, assuming this will happen and it’s very likely to happen,” he said.
“As for exactly how will work, it hasn’t decided yet. Firms will have to contact people, although there is an issue about them having destroyed some of the data for older claims.”
He believes claims will either be paid automatically – or affected consumers will need to opt in and apply to get compensation back.
The FCA says you may be affected if you bought a car under a finance scheme, including hire purchase agreements, before 28 January 2021.
Anyone who has already complained does not need to do anything.
The authority added: “Consumers concerned that they were not told about commission, and who think they may have paid too much for the finance, should complain now”.
Its website advises drivers to complain to their finance provider first.
If you’re unhappy with the response, you can then contact the Financial Ombudsman.
Any compensation scheme will be easy to participate in, without drivers needing to use a claims management company or law firm.
The FCA has warned motorists that doing so could end up costing you 30% of any compensation in fees.
The FCA estimates the cost of any scheme – including compensation and administrative costs – to be no lower than £9bn.
But in a video on X, Lewis said that millions of people are likely to be due a share of up to £18bn.
The regulator’s announcement comes after the Supreme Court ruled on a separate, but similar, case on Friday.