Jermaine Jenas is to make a shock return to talkSPORT – in a controversial move that has triggered serious unrest within the broadcaster, Mail Sport can reveal.
The former Newcastle and England man, who was sacked by the BBC in August amid allegations of workplace misconduct, has been pencilled in to form part of the commentary team for this weekend’s Aston Villa vs Tottenham match.
The decision is thought to have led some staff to tell bosses they would refuse to work with the ex-midfielder and has left others angered amid a perceived lack of consultation.
One insider close to the situation said: ‘This is a decision that appears to have been forced on the staff with no consultation. There’s a lot of shock that there was no consultation with female employees. Would you not at least check their views?’
Jenas, who presented The One Show, has not been heard on the airwaves since an appearance on talkSPORT which came at the same time his departure from the BBC was announced.
Bosses at the station were made aware of his sacking moments before he went on air.
It later emerged he was dismissed after sending explicit texts to two female employees at the BBC, where he also worked on Match Of The Day.
Jenas subsequently made a public apology to his wife, with whom he shares three children. The pair married in 2011.
The move, which will see Jenas provide colour commentary at Sunday’s FA Cup tie, was relayed to talkSPORT staff earlier this week. It is understood that some have already refused to work with Jenas, while others have been left stunned by the development. The 41-year -old played more than 150 times for Spurs and had a loan spell at Villa Park.
At the time of his dismissal from the BBC, talkSPORT said there were no plans for Jenas, who also featured on TNT Sports to appear again in the near future.
Responding to the news Jenas said there were ‘two sides to every story’ but added he would let his ‘lawyers deal with it’.
TalkSPORT have been contacted for comment. Representatives for Jermaine Jenas have also been contacted for comment.
Jenas 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.
He had been a regular pundit on sports programmes Match Of The Day and Match Of The Day 2 and a presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Jenas has criticised how the BBC handled his sacking and has said he will be speaking to his lawyers about the situation.
Upon his sacking from the BBC, Jenas told his former female colleagues he was ‘genuinely sorry’ for sending inappropriate messages, issuing an apology after being told not to contact the two women due to ‘legal process’.
He said in an interview with the Sun after confessing to the allegations: ‘I feel ashamed. I feel I’ve let everybody down – friends, family, colleagues.’
The former midfielder also hit out at the BBC for the way the corporation handled his axing, saying: ‘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.’
Jenas said that he had hoped to speak to the two female colleagues who had made the allegations, but had not been able to when the process got underway.
The former Tottenham star made his return to football punditry earlier this season, working for an overseas broadcaster when Arsenal hosted Liverpool in the Premier League.
