Jermaine Jenas lost his job at the BBC 18 months ago (Image: Getty Images)
Jermaine Jenas has put his family home up for sale 18 months after losing his £190,000-a-year BBC job after sending inappropriate texts to a female colleague. The former One Show co-presenter and former Match of the Day analyst has listed the six-bedroom property near Barnet, north London, for £4.95 million.
Images of the home published on the estate agency’s website reveal that the luxury home also features an indoor pool, sauna and steam room, as well as a gym, cinema room and playroom. Mr Jenas, 43, his wife Ellie, 37, and their children had lived there together since he bought the property for £2.8m in 2006, but separated in August 2024 after his texting scandal broke. He has since registered his new company Coldline in a £3 million terraced house in Hampstead, but it is not believed he lives at that address.
Amid the scandal, Jenas admitted to sending provocative messages to two female colleagues on “The One Show” and apologized to the women who received the messages. At the time, the father-of-four admitted that Ellie, who has three young children, was “absolutely furious” after discovering the messages and immediately kicked him out of her bedroom at the family home.
He also confessed to cheating on his girlfriend during a family holiday in Marbella, Spain, when he snuck off to have a Zoom call with BBC executives about inappropriate messages. He later admitted that he confessed to her that he was fired because she expected him to go to work on The One Show on Monday mornings. The married former Tottenham and England footballer insisted he had done nothing illegal and that the messages were between consenting adults, including one he claimed clearly showed interest in her.
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Recalling the moment he revealed the truth to his wife, he said: “I said, ‘I’ve been fired from the BBC,’ and she said, ‘For what?'” And I said, “For sending inappropriate text messages to two girls.” At the time, Jenas’ father Dennis told the Mirror that his son was desperately trying to salvage his marriage to Ellie and admitted he was emotionally distraught over his dismissal. Speaking from his home in Fort Worth, Texas, he said: “He’s fighting to save his marriage. At the end of the day, it took a toll on the family.
Jenas and Ellie Penfold subsequently broke up. (Image: Getty)
“He knows he shouldn’t have done what he did and he wants to keep his family together and he knows he hurt his wife and children.” Jenas faced further charges the following month, including accusations that he “repeatedly pestered” a junior make-up artist who worked for BT Sport for sex, and that he allegedly bombarded a woman who worked at the Qatar World Cup with messages such as “Do you want my boy now?”
In March last year, Ellie confirmed her marriage was over. Posting on Instagram, she wrote: “I never imagined having to share something so personal with the public, but given the circumstances I feel it is necessary.
“After 16 years together and raising four wonderful children, Jermaine and I have decided to separate. We remain friends and continue to co-parent our children. We ask that you respect our children’s privacy during this difficult time. Thank you, Ellie.”
Jenas had long been considered a rising star at the BBC and was touted by Gary Lineker as a future Match of the Day presenter. Mr Lineker had declared Mr Jenas his “natural successor”. However, he dropped out of the race due to his fall from grace, and later admitted that his television career had “disappeared.”
The former soccer player and Ellie married in 2011 and have two daughters and a young son. Jenas also has an older teenage daughter, Sancha, from a previous relationship. She is believed to be living in the United States with her mother. Speaking in November 2024 as she was launching her business, Preppy Skin, Ellie confessed that the debate was “incredibly difficult”.
She added that she had “only been thinking about our children” and was determined to “move forward” by embarking on a new venture. She said: “Obviously this is hard for me, but the only thing I’m concerned about is my children and that doesn’t change. I just want to move on now.”
Jenas added that he is “supportive” of her decision to launch the brand and is “excited” for what the future holds for her. Last December, Jenas spoke about how deeply the separation affected her. Speaking on his YouTube channel Golf Life alongside fellow ex-footballer Jimmy Bullard and former Soccer AM presenter Peter Dale, known as The Tubes, Jenas said: “I think it’s common knowledge that I’ve probably had a tough year… obviously breaking up with my wife and everything else. “As a guy, sometimes you go through things in life and sometimes you need the support of your friends and stuff… something just clicked for me.
Jenas said he felt unable to play golf at the time because he considered it a “luxury.” She added: “My whole world was exploding at that time. You know what I mean? It just didn’t feel right.”
“I felt like I needed to basically sort things out with my kids and my family,” he said. “I started doing all the things I’d never done before to steady the ship. But yes, the club is back. I feel good. I’m fine.”
