Diddly Squat farm owner Jeremy Clarkson has shared his thoughts on Jermaine Jeans being axed from the BBC after sending “inappropriate messages” to women he worked with.
The former Match of the Day and The One Show host had his contract terminated due to his actions towards his female colleagues, with the BBC not disclosing any further details about the allegations.
Jenas apologised soon after the allegations emerged and told The Sun: “I am ashamed, and I am deeply sorry. I have let myself, my family, friends and colleagues down, and I owe everyone an apology – especially the women with whom I was messaging. I am so, so sorry.
“I am sorry for what I have put them through. 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.
“I have made a lot of mistakes, and I am asking myself a lot of questions at the moment. I know there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and it will be hard.”
Since his axing, there have been mixed opinions on whether the BBC “overreacted” by sacking Jenas, with some claiming resources could have been geared towards the ongoing BBC Strictly Come Dancing investigation.
BBC director-general Tim Davie has reportedly since issued a company-wide email to staff at the BBC – something that Clarkson was quick to share his opinions of in his latest Sun column.
Davie reportedly said in the aforementioned email: “Aside from the challenges of delivering such brilliant output, I want to acknowledge that this has been a demanding period for the BBC and everyone who works within it.
“The shocking news about Huw Edwards and other stories, concerning some of our high-profile shows, have put the BBC in the spotlight. It can be challenging for us all when the BBC becomes the headline…I know we have all felt let down and worried about the impact on the BBC.
“However, we hold ourselves to the highest standards and we know there will be lessons we can learn to ensure we have the strongest possible workplace culture. I know that many people are proud of their teams and feel they are working in a supportive and positive environment. We must make that universal.”
Clarkson waded in on Jenas’ axing and issued a scathing statement to Davie regarding the email, saying: “Tim Davie, the Director-General of the BBC said that in the wake of the Jermaine Jenas debacle he wants the ‘strongest possible workplace culture’.
“He should do research on my farm. We laugh. We tease. We work long hours. There is banter, and some of it is risqué.
“And if you’re feeling unhappy or tired or a bit ill, you come to work regardless and get on with it anyway.
“Not sure that’s what he has in mind though,” Clarkson sarcastically ridiculed.
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Alongside the Jenas allegations, the BBC has also had to deal with the disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edwards pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, with it later being revealed that he had been arrested over serious allegations in November 2023.
He admitted to having 41 indecent pictures of children – some of which were category A, which are the worst type of images of child abuse.
The ongoing Strictly Come Dancing scandal is another thing the BBC has tried to stay on top of after long-standing professional dancer Graziano Di Prima was sacked for kicking his celebrity partner Zara McDermott in training.
His axing came shortly after Giovanni Pernice stepped away from the show after former contestant, actress Amanda Abbington triggered the investigation and claimed she was “bullied and bruised” by the pro. He denies all the allegations and the results of a BBC probe are still pending.
