Don't Send Explicit Texts To Your Coworkers
The latest Premiere League scandal.
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In any workplace, it’s a risky move to sext with your coworker. It’s even worse when you’re married with kids. And it’s even WORSE WORSE when you’re a former professional soccer player, married with kids, and have a cushy presenting gig that I know there is a line of B-list soccer players waiting for you to do something dumb.
Well, those B-list soccer players may be in luck after former Tottenham Hotspur player Jermaine Jenas allegedly sent explicit messages to two of his BBC colleagues.
According to The Telegraph, Jenas was fired by the BBC after he admitted to sending explicit messages to two coworkers, but claims they were “consenting adults.”
Listen: You’re allowed to sext. You’re even allowed to write an essay about it for The Cut. Just maybe don’t sext with two coworkers when your name is being thrown around to replace the host of your country’s biggest soccer show, Match of the Day.
Jenas isn’t that memorable of a player. He was good, but not Beckham good. He’s not getting a documentary. Well, I guess he might get one now—for all the wrong reasons.
For Jenas, having his name tossed around as a long-term replacement for Gary Lineker is a big deal!
Why would you throw that way to send some probably very embarrassing messages to some women in your office???
Of course, Jenas says that he is “deeply sorry” for sending the texts, but did clarify that he “…wasn’t going through some kind of BBC vault trying to get women’s numbers. I’m obviously going to say I’m not a sex pest.”
Not sure if anyone thought that was the case, but I’m glad we know that now…
My main thought: This poor wife!!!
According to Jenas, after the BBC told him about the allegations against him, he lied to his wife, Ellie, to stall and “find a way out of this mess.” Jenas added that getting fired over Zoom was…an experience:
“It’s embarrassing, and obviously there’s four people there on a Zoom call, basically, just listening to all of this, and reading out my messages. I think I was in shock at the time, there was a lot to process.”
The real kicker is that Jenas was fired just days later via Zoom while on a FAMILY VACATION with his wife and their three kids. Like???? Oh my god????
Can you imagine what THAT dinner conversation was like trying to find some restaurant with 4.6 stars on TripAdvisor????
At least Jenas took some accountability, saying he was “at fault,” but does worry that he could lose his family:
“The overriding panic by a mile was that I could lose my family.”
Like….yeah….
Honestly, the most shocking thing is that he is saying all of this just days after the scandal broke??? Could you imagine a celebrity speaking with PEOPLE Magazine days after a Notes App Apology-esque scandal?
The! United! Kingdom! Baby!
Jenas is hoping there is “some level of mercy” that everyone makes mistakes:
“There’s something in me that’s praying there is some level of mercy or understanding of the fact we’re human beings and we all make mistakes, some bigger than others and mine is a big mistake.”
I just feel bad for his wife and kids…She hasn’t released a statement, but I hope she just goes dark on social media and, in a year or so, comes back with a revenge pic on a yacht with a mysterious man’s hand in the corner.
The irony of the entire situation is Jenas was recently awarded the “Ally of the Year” at the Women’s Football Awards and thanked his wife and children in his speech….
Not! Great!
I hope those two colleagues are doing okay considering the circumstances, but OOOF.
Other Pointless Sports Gossip
Ummm…there was a literal brawl at a UMass women’s soccer game??? (via Yahoo)
My nightmare: Several players and members of the Los Angeles Chargers traveling party were stuck in an elevator. No! Thank! You! (via X)
On next season of The Kardashians…Kim Kardashian attended a Real Madrid game with her son. (via Just Jared)
The people’s Olympics princess Ilona Maher is the cover star of SI Swimsuit’s digital September issue. (via Sports Illustrated)
If anyone knows this girl in this viral US Open clip, PLEASE DM me… (via X)
Not gossip, just a very good boy. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani had his dog throw out the first pitch in honor of the coveted Ohtani bobblehead that people waited in line for over ten hours for! (via Instagram)
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Premier league and pop culture. Everything I try to write about and fail.
Dang he hot af, here's hoping we get the eventual leak that he deserves lol