Jermaine Jenas' wife Ellie Penfold has announced that she has split from the former BBC pundit after 16 years together, following his 'unsolicited messages' scandal

Jermaine Jenas and his wife Ellie Penfold have split up, according to a statement from the former model

Jermaine Jenas has split up with his wife Ellie Penfold after a 16-year relationship amidst his controversy-laden axing from the BBC.

The former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was sacked from the broadcaster in August amid rumours of office misconduct and "unsolicited messages" to a pair of female colleagues. Despite Penfold, a mum to their three kids, backing him through last year's drama, she announced their split in a social media post on Tuesday.

Before being sacked, Jenas was seen as the overwhelming favourite to succeed Gary Lineker for Match of the Day hosting duties. After a spell away the screen, the 42-year-old returned to commentate on Spurs' FA Cup game against Aston Villa in February for talkSPORT. With an uncertain career now looming for the former Premier League star, he's now facing turmoil in his personal life as well.

Where does Jermaine Jenas live?

Last August, former Tottenham midfielder Jenas admitted that in the wake of the allegations against him, he had been banished from the bedroom of his £1million Hertfordshire home, which he shares with Penfold.

The property boasts a sleek grey interior, a minimalist kitchen, and a spacious living room, as well as a grand garden where Jenas has shared photos of himself and their three children playing together, reports the Mirror.

Who is Jermaine Jenas' wife?
Jenas tied the knot with ex-model Penfold in 2011, and the couple have two daughters, Geneva and Olivia, and a son, Jacob. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, the former pro revealed it was "love at first sight" when he first met the former underwear model, who was friends with Katie Price and Lauren Pope.

However, speaking to The Sun after the incident, Jenas confessed that his partner was "raging" and that they hadn't spoken properly since. He recalled: "I just said, 'I've been sacked from the BBC.' She said, 'What for?' And I said, 'For sending text messages that weren't appropriate to two girls.'

Jenas and Penfold have split up after 16 years

"We've [me and my wife] not really spoken properly since. She's absolutely raging. It's just about the children right now. It's the school holidays, and they're trapped in the house because photographers are outside my house. They're like, 'What's going on, Daddy?'. It's tough."

Penfold, who got engaged to Jenas back in 2009 after his 'cheeky' charm won her over during his Tottenham days, has been his rock through thick and thin. But now, she's taken to social media to announce their separation after a 16-year-long journey together.

Her heartfelt statement read: "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. We kindly ask that you respect our children's privacy during this challenging time. Thank you, Ellie."

On his return to talkSPORT, Jenas opened up about his intentions to become a "better person" reflecting on his actions and the path ahead: "You need to take responsibility for your actions [and] why you're in this position.

"And once you kind of accept those things, then you can work on yourself and you can work on the other things and you can work on your family and work towards a brighter future."

Jermaine Jenas' celebrity friends

Jenas, 42, isn't short of famous pals, boasting a network of celebrity mates from his footballing days and beyond. In 2023, he shared a glimpse into his star-studded life, mentioning he'd "had worse days" while enjoying the French Open with fellow north London football legend and ex-England forward Peter Crouch.

Boyzone sensation Ronan Keating became a fixture on The One Show in 2021, the same year Jenas was named as a permanent co-host. On Instagram, the Nottingham native has previously posted pictures of himself on a night out with Take That's legendary Gary Barlow and rubbing shoulders at the NTAs with radio king and BBC star Roman Kemp.

How many children does Jermaine Jenas have?

He's dad to a trio with his wife Penfold, while his oldest daughter Sancha lives in the United States with her mum. Chatting to the Mail this year, Jenas opened up about living so far away from his child.

"It was a tough one for me and a tough one for my daughter, but I didn't want to get in the way of my ex moving on with her life," he confessed.

"My eldest is 15 and she's from the first relationship I had and lives in America now with her mum. She was here until she was seven, and then her mum decided that she wanted to go and live in the States because she met a guy from America, and they got married and had a family.

"We came to the decision to co-parent in the best way we possibly could, but she comes over every summer, and I have her for a good 8-9 weeks, and she comes over at Christmas as well.

"She is due over any minute, and we all can't wait in the house. Every year she comes home, she's different. I'm dealing with a 15-year-old, and it's like, oh God, but it's loads of fun.

"She has an American accent until I knock it out of her every time she comes over. It was worse when she was younger. She used to turn up and say, 'Daddy, can I have a popsicle?'

"And I used to just ignore her and say, 'What did you want? What's another word for that?' And she'll say, 'Ice cream or ice-lolly,' and I'll say, 'Okay, go and get one.'

"And then she'll say, 'Daddy, can I have a soda?' She's too old now for me to crack the same jokes now!"