Jermaine Jenas Net Worth - How Much Is BBC Pundit Worth?

• Jermaine Jenas was a talented midfielder who graced the Premier League for over a decade.

• After injury forced early retirement, he has forged a new career in the media.

• While having a fairly modest net worth, his TV gigs should see him consolidate his wealth.

Born in Nottingham, on February 18th, 1983, Jermaine Jenas had a tough upbringing where money was sparce. By his own admission his family often ‘played hide and seek’ from bailiffs.

It was also there, growing up on a deprived council estate, where the youngster regularly encountered racism due to his mixed English and Afro-Caribbean heritage.

Football then was a release and excelling for his school team and other local sides he soon grabbed the attention of Nottingham Forest who – after a successful trial – offered the youngster a contract on turning sixteen. 

Alas, if Forest’s Premier League odds are bleak right now they were even worse back in 1999. Just a few weeks prior to Jenas signing professional forms, Forest were relegated. 

Quickly establishing himself as a box-to-box midfielder of note, however, it wasn’t long before the talented teen was hot property, with Newcastle United swooping in 2002. The £5m fee made Jenas the most expensive teenager in British football. 

The player’s time in the North-East was by and large a success, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2003 and making over 250 appearances for the Magpies.

It was also while playing for the Premier League club that international recognition arrived, Jenas making the first of his 21 outings for England against Australia in a friendly.

Later, Tottenham came calling, their offer of £40,000 a week too good to turn down, but unfortunately injuries were starting to take a toll, a situation that only worsened across his eight years in North London.

One particular highlight does stand out from his spell in the capital though, with Spurs defying the football betting and finally winning a trophy in the form of a League Cup.

In 2016, aged just 32, Jenas officially retired from the game, leaving it a rich man but not as wealthy as may be imagined. 

To compensate for that, he already had a second career in mind.

How Much Is Jermaine Jenas Worth?

According to online sources, Jenas is reported to have a net worth of £2 million, a figure that presumably pales to many of his contemporaries but is still a substantial sum.

After hanging up his boots financially secure for life due to sensible investments, he entered the world of football punditry whereupon he immediately impressed with his pragmatic takes and measured co-commentary work. 

Not that Jenas is reluctant to air strong opinions when called for, whether that is criticizing VAR or offering up some contentious Premier League predictions.  

Freelancing for the likes of TNT will have no doubt been financially rewarding but it was a £200,000-a-year deal struck with the BBC that saw his earnings rocket.

As part of the ‘golden handcuffs’ agreement, Jenas regularly appears on Match of the Day along with its sadly now defunct spin-off show MOTDx. He does punditry stints for Radio 5 Live and presents The One Show three times a week.

Naturally, by becoming a household name and regularly appearing in people’s living rooms Jenas’ earning power has increased significantly and this is reflected in commercial partnerships struck beyond television and radio.

A collaboration with the clothing retailer Jacamo will have comfortably brought in a six-figure sum while elsewhere an initiative launched alongside B&Q in 2023 is designed to encourage energy saving measures for those struggling to meet their domestic bills. 

Jenas has also recently fronted a campaign promoting skincare products for dads with L’Oreal, Paris. 

The former player turned TV star lives in a large £1m home in Hertfordshire with his family and two pet dogs. 

Wife

Jenas is married to Ellie Penfold, with whom he has three children. The couple met when Jermaine was a Tottenham player.

The couple keep their personal life private, but Jermaine has commented in an interview how he fell instantly in love when he first met Ellie, but that love was not instantly reciprocated, as Ellie found him too arrogant.

He won her over and they were soon engaged, marrying two years later in 2011. They have been together ever since. 

He has called Ellie a rock who was especially supportive during his many injury problems. Down-to-earth, with little interest in football herself, she helps keeps him grounded. 

While Ellie has been a successful model in the past, little is known about her, as she never courts publicity. Her Instagram account is set to private, though she sometimes appears on the posts uploaded by her husband to his own account.

Children

Jermaine has four children – three with Ellie, and a daughter Sancha from a previous relationship, who now lives in the United States with her mother.

Jermaine and Ellie have two daughters, Geneva and Olivia, and in October 2021 welcomed their first son into the world, who they named Jacob Anthony. 

Jermaine has spoken of his pride at being a parent in the past and while the family keep a low profile, you can see the loving nature of the family on his social media posts. The ex-footballer had previously spoken about how he wanted a son, so Jacob’s arrival will have been extra special. 

The One Show

Like several other ex-footballers, Jenas has branched out and made a name for himself away from the sport that made him successful. 

Having appeared in a couple of editions, he started co-presenting the One Show on BBC One with Alex Jones in 2020, the magazine-type programme that airs on weekday evenings, discussing topical stories with live guests, a staple of British TV since 2006

Jenas found himself spending a lot more time on the famous green sofa that features on every show, after becoming an instant hit with viewers. Many commented on how they found him articulate, relatable, relaxed and well-informed.

In 2021, he was announced as a permanent host, from Monday to Wednesday each week and it was during his debut as a full-time presenter that he announced that he and Ellie were expecting another child. 
 
On one occasion, early into his tenure, he had to present a show solo due to Alex Jones falling ill and he has clearly taken to his newest challenge like a duck to water.

Match of the Day

Post-retirement Jenas immediately set about creating a name for himself as a TV football pundit. He was an ITV panellist for their Europa League coverage, and later joined BT Sport to provide analysis for live games. 

His media career eventually led to a role as a studio pundit on Match of the Day, with his calm, impartial style proving a success. It is rumoured that BBC football bosses are so impressed with him that he is being groomed as a long-term successor to main presenter Gary Lineker. 

He is sure to be interested in such a move, having previously called the Match of the Day presenting gig the biggest job in television.

*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*