Former BBC presenter Jermaine Jenas and his wife Ellie Penfold have announced their separation after nearly 20 years together. The news was shared by Ellie, mother to the couple’s four children, on social media on Tuesday evening.
Former Newcastle United and England star Jenas, 42, has yet to respond publicly to his estranged wife’s announcement. This comes less than a year after Jermaine left the BBC in August following allegations of sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues.
At the time, Jermaine expressed his remorse through a newspaper, stating: “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.”
Ellie spoke out about the situation in November during the launch of her new personal care brand, Preppy, saying: “My only focus has been on our children and building my brand Preppy. Now I just want to move forward. Naturally this has been hard for me but my only concern has been our children and that will not change,” reports the Mirror.
Ellie has taken to her Instagram Stories to publicly confirm the end of her 16-year relationship with Jermaine. To her 13,700 fans, she conveyed, “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. Thank you, Ellie.”
The announcement comes after a turbulent period for Jermaine, who was let go from his role as a BBC pundit and presenter for BBC Sport and The One Show back in August 2024 following claims of inappropriate conduct.
The ex-England footballer made his punditry return only last month after these events led to a comprehensive internal investigation, resulting in his contract termination, a move influenced by Alex Kay-Jelski, the new Director of Sport at the time. Jermaine, once believed to be in the running to succeed Gary Lineker on Match of the Day, saw a career dip when he parted ways with his agents at MC Saatchi and was dropped from his presenting duties on Formula E amidst the controversy.
Nonetheless, he recently joined the commentary team for Aston Villa’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Tottenham just the previous month.
Reflecting on his previous troubles, Jermaine shared his candid thoughts on talkSPORT: “The biggest thing in this whole situation is about taking responsibility and that has been at the forefront of my mind. There’s a reason why you’re in this position and there’s a reason why this has happened.”
He emphasised personal growth, stating: “Once you accept those things, then you can work on yourself and you can work on the other things and you can work on your family and work towards a brighter future. Essentially this is about me looking inwards, making some improvements and coming back a better person.”
After some time away following his exit from the BBC, which coincided with him hosting talkSPORT’s drivetime show, Jermaine is set to return to the radio station. Liam Fisher, the station’s chief, has signalled a warm welcome for his comeback.
Last month, TalkSPORT’s Head remarked: “Jermaine Jenas addresses his past behaviour in this frank interview. With a proven track record as a footballer turned pundit, we look forward to his expert commentary this Sunday as part of our extensive coverage of the FA Cup on our network.”
Jenas sprung to fame as a player when he became the second most expensive teenager in British football after Newcastle paid Nottingham Forest £5million for his services in 2002. He won the 2002-03 PFA Young Player of the Year award, helped the club play in the Champions League and won 14 of his 21 England caps while at Newcastle.
He departed in 2005 for Tottenham Hotspur in a £7m deal, having stated he was unhappy with life in the ‘goldfish bowl’ at Newcastle. he won the League Cup at Spurs but injuries and a loss of form meant he never kicked on, and he was forced to retire in 2016 aged 33 after barely playing in the last few years of his career.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jermaine-jenas-wife-split-after-31131507
