Jermaine Jenas is set to commentate for talkSPORT this weekend and the broadcaster’s staff are reportedly divided about his return to punditry.
The former Newcastle United, Tottenham and England midfielder was sacked by the BBC last year following complaints about his workplace conduct, which related to explicit texts sent to two female employees.
After having his contract terminated, Jenas made a brief appearance on talkSPORT radio to state that there are ‘two sides to every story’.
He later spoke to The Sun and said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for a ‘huge error of judgment’, adding that he was ‘ashamed’ and had ‘let everybody down’.
Jenas and his wife, Ellie Penfold, have been married since 2011 and have three children together.
Just over five months on from the BBC scandal, Jenas is in line to form part of talkSPORT’s commentary team for this Sunday’s FA Cup showdown between two of his former clubs, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
According to The Daily Mail, the broadcaster’s decision to welcome Jenas back has sparked ‘serious unrest’ among staff.
Some employees have reportedly told bosses they will refuse to work with him, and others were angry at not being consulted over the decision.
Jenas’ profile was removed from the talkSPORT website in August, when the broadcaster said they had ‘no plans’ for him to continue working there ‘in the immediate future’.
The 41-year-old moved into TV work after retiring from a successful playing career in 2014.
He frequently appeared as a pundit on Match of the Day, Match of the Day 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live, before filling in as a co-host on The One Show in 2020 and becoming a permanent fixture the following year.
Jenas was last heard on UK airwaves around the time of his BBC sacking, but his return to punditry came back in October, when he appeared for an overseas broadcaster to cover Arsenal‘s 2-2 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
The Nottingham-born ex-midfielder has criticised the way the BBC went about his dismissal, telling The Sun: “The handling of the situation wasn’t great. It was quick — and hell.
“I don’t think there was a game plan for when they were going to announce they’d fired me. I think different departments were being told different things. I think it’s shocking.”