The One Show presenter Alex Jones has broken her silence on the sexting scandal that led to the departure of her former co-host Jermaine Jenas from the BBC, admitting she was completely unaware of the complaints against him.
A Shocking Revelation
Appearing on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast, Alex addressed the situation for the first time publicly. The 48-year-old presenter revealed she was "the last to know" about the inappropriate messages Jermaine had sent to female colleagues during his time at the corporation.
Alex and Jermaine, 42, had worked together on the popular evening magazine programme from 2020 until his abrupt departure in 2024. Their professional relationship ended when the BBC fired Jermaine in August 2024 after investigations into his behaviour.
"JJ and I had become good friends. I was the last to know," Alex confessed during the podcast appearance. She expressed strong support for the women who came forward, stating: "The BBC dealt with it, and I think if people feel uncomfortable, they have to deal with it."
Career and Personal Consequences
The scandal had devastating consequences for Jenas's career and personal life. He lost his position on The One Show along with his punditry roles on Match of the Day and 5 Live. His agency MC Saatchi severed ties with him, forcing the presenter to hire a crisis PR team to manage the fallout.
The personal impact was equally severe. Jermaine's 13-year marriage to wife Ellie collapsed shortly after the scandal broke in March. The couple, who share three of Jermaine's four children, announced they were divorcing. Ellie subsequently kicked him out of their £1 million Hertfordshire home.
Jermaine later claimed on the Filthy Rellas podcast that historical relationship problems contributed to the split, though he admitted: "I've got to take responsibility and I've apologised to all of them."
Pattern of Inappropriate Behaviour
Further revelations emerged after the initial scandal. The Daily Mail uncovered that Jermaine had bombarded a woman working at the World Cup in Qatar with unwanted messages two years earlier, including one asking "You want my boy now?" before sending an explicit photograph.
Another incident from 2017 surfaced where he repeatedly pestered a junior make-up artist for sex while working for BT Sport. When she mentioned having a boyfriend, he reportedly responded: "Just come to my dressing room early and I'll [perform a sex act] on u… that's not cheating."
Alex Jones reflected on the broader culture that sometimes prevents women from speaking out, acknowledging her own younger self might have remained silent in similar circumstances. "I know I wouldn't have said anything, and so I've got a lot of respect for the girls that did, because I do think it is an incredibly brave thing to do," she stated.
The presenter emphasised the importance of workplace safety, particularly thinking of her daughter: "If it was my daughter, and she was at work in whatever industry and she felt uncomfortable, I would hope to God that I'd given her the tools to be able to speak up."
