Jermaine Jenas breaks silence on divorce from wife: Ex-footballer was ready to be unhappy for sake of kids
Former footballer Jermaine Jenas has broken his silence on his split from wife Ellie Penfold, revealing it was her decision to end their 16-year relationship.
The ex-England midfielder admitted he would have stayed in the marriage despite being unhappy.
Speaking on the Filthy Fellas podcast, Jenas said: “It was her decision and one that I had to accept. If it was up to me – and I think a lot of men are like this – I’d probably be prepared to be unhappy for the rest of my life if [it meant] I had my kids in it.”
The couple announced their separation in March, months after his BBC dismissal.
Jenas elaborated on his feelings about the split during the podcast appearance.
“It’s a man thing. If I wake up with my kids everyday, I’m quite happy to sacrifice the happiness,” he explained.
He revealed the couple had been questioning their happiness for some time.
“From her side of things, she’s probably ran the course much more than me. But I was much more happy to go: ‘I’ll be unhappy if I can stay in this house with you and these kids’. But it wasn’t to be for her and we went our separate ways,” Jenas said.
The former Tottenham star emphasized their shared commitment to co-parenting.
“Kids first is our motto. We have to be the best parents we can possibly be,” he added.
JUST IN: Girlfriend of British Superbikes rider suffers double tragedy after previous boyfriend died in crash
Penfold announced the split in a statement on social media earlier this year.
She wrote: “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,” she continued.
The couple, who married in 2011, had previously hoped to work through their marital troubles.
Jenas noted that despite the separation, their day-to-day family life hasn’t changed dramatically.
“Not loads has changed really, it’s just mine and her relationship has gone into more of a friendship than a relationship,” he continued.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher makes feelings clear on Trent Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool fans furious over exit
Jenas’s marital troubles came after he was sacked by the BBC in August 2024 amid allegations of workplace misconduct.
The former presenter was dismissed after sending explicit texts to two female employees.
He denied sending indecent images or videos, insisting the messages were between consenting adults.
Jenas revealed he was fired during a video call while on holiday with his family in Marbella.
He described the experience as “grim,” having to “sit there and listen to what you’ve said” as four people read out his inappropriate messages.
The news of his sacking emerged just before he was due to go live on talkSPORT radio.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Luke Littler goes public with 19-year-old beautician ‘friend’ nine months on from girlfriend splitTrent Alexander-Arnold bombarded with abuse as Liverpool star confirms exit – ‘You will walk alone’Zhao Xintong discusses snooker ban after thumping Mark Williams to win World Snooker Championship
Jenas reflected on the challenges he anticipates as he adjusts to life without his family around him daily.
“I do believe there is going to come a moment where I’m sat in my apartment one day and be like: ‘This is mad. I had my whole family around me every single day. [Now] I’m not hearing that pitter patter of feet’,” he admitted.
“That’s going to be the tough side of it. But that’s part of dealing with the situation.”
Despite these difficulties, he emphasised their commitment to maintaining a positive relationship.
He has been spending considerable time at home to ensure stability for their children during the transition.
Jenas was clear that the texting scandal wasn’t the sole reason for their separation.
“The reality is, me and my wife didn’t split up because I sent some text messages to some people at work,” he stated.
“We had issues for a period of time and it all comes to a head. Eventually, you make a decision to say, as adults, we will be better parents for our children if we remain friends,” he explained.
Despite the difficulties, Jenas spoke warmly of his ex-wife and their time together.
“We had 16 amazing years together. She’s a great woman,” he said.