Jermaine Jenas has become the latest high-profile figure to be sacked by the BBC this week following complaints about his workplace conduct, with the former footballer reacting to the news whilst he was live on air with talkSPORT.
Jenas, 41, was officially sacked by the BBC on Thursday following what has so far been loosely described as inappropriate behaviour, with allegations pertaining to texts and other digital messages that were raised as a complaint.
The corporation was made aware of unsolicited communications a few weeks prior and it was only yesterday that the former footballer was removed from his roles on The One Show, Match of the Day and any other appearances for the network.
Reacting to the news whilst live on air for Hugh Woozencraft’s footballer transfers show, Jenas didn’t have much to say on the matter but you can hear a palpable tension in the air during the short impromptu radio segment.
As you can hear, while Jenas repeatedly insists he “can’t talk about it” as he is pressed on details surrounding the claims and the timeline of events, he does confess right from the off: “As you can probably see, I’m not happy about it.”
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Going on to state that he will “have to let the lawyers deal with it” and “there are two sides to every story, as we know”, the ex-Newcastle and Spurs star is clearly trying to wrap up his time on the show as soon as possible.
A BBC spokesperson also clarified: “We can confirm that he [Jenas] is no longer part of our presenting lineup and that he has now been removed from their MediaCity HQ mural over in Salford, which previously featured Jenas alongside his former BBC Sport colleagues.
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After Jenas then asks if they are still recording and if his microphone can be turned off, the line of questioning continues: “I can see that you’re fuming and I understand there are certain things you can’t talk about, but you are a major BBC star. Can you articulate any of your emotions towards the BBC and towards this happening to you?”
Refusing to be pressed on whether he knew about the decision before coming on the show and whether he’d like to apologise to any of the parties involved, he simply reiterates that he cannot talk about the situation for the 12th and final time.
Neither Jenas himself nor his representatives are yet to issue an official statement on the matter and the BBC hasn’t given any further comment on the person(s) involved at the time.
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This comes just a few months after fellow leading presenter Huw Edwards officially resigned from the BBC back in April following his own series allegations before ultimately pleading guilty to indecent images in July.
BBC’s official Code of Conduct states: “We want the standards here to give you the confidence to ask any questions if you’re not sure about something, and to speak up if you see something that doesn’t meet these standards. When you do, we’ll listen; we’ll talk openly, and we’ll act.”
Featured Images — BBC Sport (via screenshot/Irwandy (via Flickr)
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North West water bills to see the biggest average increase of anywhere in the country in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Water bills in the North West are set to see the biggest increase in 2026 on average.
It has been announced that household water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of 5.4% overall – which works out to around £33 a year, or approximately £2.70 per month – from April, which is said to be two percentage points above December’s official inflation figure… but when you look closer at the North West, that percentage rises from 5.4% to 9%.
The average United Utilities water bill is set to sit at £660 annually in 2026-27, with that being an increase of £57 from the previous year – the largest increase of anywhere else in the country.
Water UK says the nationwide rise in bills reflects the ‘significant investment’ being put towards upgrading water infrastructure.
More than two million households currently receive help with their water bills. An extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27. Find out more: https://t.co/DSDpAmawX8pic.twitter.com/N2LFpjxEQE
Water companies are said to be currently in the process of delivering a £104 billion investment programme to secure the nation’s water supplies, support economic growth, and end sewage entering our rivers and seas.
The money raised by water bills can only be used to fund infrastructure that is independently determined to be ‘new, necessary, and value for money’.
The regulator says United Utilities will begin a £3 billion upgrade in 2026 of the 110 km Haweswater Aqueduct, which carries 570 million litres of water every day to 2.5 million people in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Greater Manchester (or nearly 5% of England’s population), hence water bills increasing at a higher rate to other areas.
North West water bills are set to see the biggest average increase in 2026 / Credit: Raibeart MacAoidh (via Geograph)
“We understand increasing bills is never welcome, but the money is needed to fund vital upgrades to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” explained David Henderson, who is the Chief Executive at Water UK.
“While we urgently need investment in our water and sewage infrastructure, we know that for many this increase will be difficult.
“That is why we will help around 2.5 million households – more than ever before – with average discounts of around 40% off their water bill.”
More than two million households currently receive help with their bills through social tariffs, the WaterSure scheme, and other affordability measures, and an extra 300,000 households are expected to receive support in 2026-27, taking the total number to around 2.5 million.
Those who are struggling should contact their water company to see what help is available, as support can often be tailored to individual circumstances.
Featured Image – Sora Shimazaki (via Pexels)
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Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
Danny Jones -
23rd August 2024 
