'Coming back a better person' - Jermaine Jenas breaks silence on return to talkSPORT after 'taking responsibility' for BBC sexting scandal that saw former England and Tottenham star axed from broadcasting duties

Jenas was accused of sending inappropriate messages to two female colleagues, which led to an internal investigation by the BBC. While he strongly denied any criminal wrongdoing and insisted he was not a "sex pest", the allegations resulted in the termination of his £190,000-a-year contract with the broadcaster. Now, as he prepares for a full-time return to broadcasting, he has spoken out about the scandal, emphasising the importance of taking responsibility for the matter.

In a statement to talkSPORT ahead of his return, Jenas reflected on the challenges he has faced and said: "The biggest thing in this whole situation is about taking responsibility and that has been at the forefront of my mind…There's a reason why you're in this position and there's a reason why this has happened. Once you 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. Essentially this is about me looking inwards, making some improvements and coming back a better person.”

In an immediate reaction to his BBC sacking, Jenas reiterated that there are always two sides to a story, but he opted against elaborating further. Instead, he stressed that the legal aspects of the case were being handled by his lawyers. "I will let my legal team deal with it," he said when pressed for details.

The ex-midfielder, who was let go in August, will be part of talkSPORT's commentary team for the upcoming FA Cup clash between Aston Villa and Tottenham. Although this weekend’s FA Cup fixture will mark his official return to talkSPORT, Jenas had already dipped his toes back into broadcasting last October when he appeared for an overseas network at the Emirates Stadium for the Arsenal vs Liverpool game. However, that match was not broadcast on British television, making this weekend's role his first major step back into mainstream UK media.