Jermaine Jenas pushed back at Kate Garraway on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, arguing her line of questioning over his sexting scandal was “unfair” as he described the impact on his BBC sacking and his divorce, while insisting he accepts what he did was wrong.
Jermaine Jenas didn’t just address his sexting scandal on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Friday. He challenged the way it was being put to him.
Returning to television almost two years after his BBC exit and the breakdown of his marriage, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was combative with presenters Ranvir Singh and Kate Garraway as he appeared defensive in his responses and body language, despite earlier pleading that he wasn’t.
The controversy dates back to August 2024. when the BBC sacked Jenas from its football coverage after he sent several explicit texts to female colleagues. Multiple women then came forward with complaints about his conduct. including a make-up artist who alleged that he hounded her for sex while working at BT Sport in 2017.
Jenas framed his comeback as an attempt to explain what happened and what followed, rather than to re-litigate it.
When asked about the issue, he said it was “probably a little bit of an unfair question to find that one thing.” He added that people “go through life” and “make mistakes,” and insisted that “there were things happening on the outside of work also affecting my behaviour.”
He didn’t soften his responsibility. “I’m not skirting around anything,” Jenas said. “I’m more than happy to have a conversation.” He told the presenters: “I’m not here to defend myself in any way, shape or form,” and said he accepts the punishments he received.
“I know what I did was wrong and I accept those punishments,” he said. “Nobody is skirting around the responsibility of what I did. I know what I did and I know it was wrong.”
At several points. Jenas pushed back on the idea that he should simply take lessons while everyone else stays above reproach. He suggested other men could “look at what happened to me and make their own assumptions about what to do with their own lives. ” while saying he was “not here to preach to other people.”.
He also argued that he has been too quickly “cancel[led].” “We are so obsessed in this industry with ‘oh. he’s been cancelled’—everything has to be negative. ” he said. before stressing that he has spent time reflecting on the consequences of his actions. “Hang on a minute, I’m a person who has learnt a lot from my mistakes,” he added.
Jenas said he isn’t sure what comes next. “I’m not saying on television. ” he told the programme. and suggested that his message could be delivered “on any different platform where I know a lot of people feel how I feel.” He described himself as “a human being” who “make[s] mistakes. ” adding: “You two can’t sit in front of me and say you’ve never made a mistake in your life.”.
That personal cost has been part of his story from the start of the fallout. Jenas said “every mistake I made was made public and I had to handle that as a man.” He said the focus now is “about moving forward and what I’m about to do next. ” and that while the process has been “good with my children. ” it has also been “up and down.”.
He has children aged 18 and 13, and said they are “very aware of social media and everything that has been going on.” He described “very open and honest conversations” with them as a difficult balancing act alongside trying to protect his younger children, aged 9 and 4.
Ellie was repeatedly referenced as a steady influence through the divorce. “Ellie has been incredible in the whole process, maintaining a consistency in their lives,” he said. “I’ll always be grateful to her for that.”
For Jenas. the question on the programme wasn’t just about the scandal itself—it was about how it’s discussed. and how much room there is to move on once punishment has already been delivered. He said: “I understand why you have to come at me with this line of questioning and it’s completely fine. ” before adding. “if you feel I haven’t been punished enough then go ahead and keep going.”.
He concluded by reiterating he isn’t asking for a return to the job he lost. “I did put myself in the position and I’m not sitting here begging and pleading for my job back.”
Jermaine Jenas Kate Garraway Ranvir Singh Good Morning Britain BBC sacking sexting scandal Tottenham Hotspur One Show Match of the Day BT Sport Ellie