Jermaine Jenas has caused unrest at Talksport as he is lined up for UK punditry duties this weekend for the first time since his sacking by the BBC.
The return to British airwaves of the 41-year-old is said to have seriously dismayed some staff at the radio station, which has Premier League rights.
Jenas lost his Match of the Day and The One Show jobs over claims he sent explicit texts to colleagues, but has already picked up work for overseas broadcasters.
The former England midfielder is now expected to be part of the Talksport commentary team for the FA Cup fourth-round tie between two of his former clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, at Villa Park on Sunday.
However, according to a report in The Daily Mail, some staff have told executives they would refuse to work with him. Others at the station are said to be angered over a perceived lack of consultation.
Jenas has not been seen doing any UK broadcast work at games since he was abruptly sacked last August from his £190,000 job over alleged messages to two female colleagues.
On the same day it was confirmed he had lost his BBC job, Jenas had been anchoring Talksport’s Drivetime show. He then inadvertently expressed his dismay over the incident to listeners while wrongly believing he was off air.
He said he was “deeply sorry and ashamed” for sending the messages to staff on The One Show. However, friends of the former footballer said he had been made a scapegoat by the BBC following criticism it received for its handling of the Huw Edwards scandal.
Referring to the messages he sent female colleagues, Jenas said in August: “I think it would be fair to say I have a problem. I know I self-sabotage and have a self-destructive streak when it comes to my relationship especially, and I know I need help. And I am getting help.”
Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, was said to be “deeply unhappy” with the former footballer and senior executives are “absolutely sure” that they were in the right to sack him and believe the decision to be legally robust.
The father-of-four had been widely regarded as a natural successor to replace Gary Lineker, the outgoing host of Match Of The Day. Jenas said during the summer he fell below the standard of responsibility that “needs to be upheld when you’re a member of the BBC”, but insisted that there was no criminality involved.
In an interview with The Sun, Jenas admitted Ellie Penfold, his wife, was “raging” about his behaviour.
