Jackson to release footage of Bashir 'praise'

Michael Jackson is to release footage of his controversial television interview with Mr Martin Bashir that he claims shows the…

Michael Jackson is to release footage of his controversial television interview with Mr Martin Bashir that he claims shows the interviewer praising his ability with children.

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

Jackson's lawyers have already filed complaints with British broadcasting authorities over the film aired last Monday in which the singer admitted to sharing a bed with children at his Neverland ranch in California.

In a statement issued in London, Jackson repeated a denial of child abuse allegations made by the British media.

"I am bewildered at the length to which people will go to portray me so negatively," Jackson said. "I will say again that I have never, and would never, harm a child. It sickens me that people have written things that portray me as a child abuser".

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In their complaints Jackson's lawyers called "Living with Michael Jackson" - the Granada Television documentary fronted by journalist Martin Bashir - "a gross distortion of the truth" that violated the singer's right to privacy.

In the statement, Jackson said he would produce his own video excerpts, filmed by his personal cameraman during the eight-month documentary shoot, to prove Bashir's portrayal was hypocritical.

"The film shows extraordinary scenes of Martin Bashir praising the way Michael treats children and commenting on how good a father he is," the statement said.

"The Jackson footage clearly shows that Bashir was actually continuing to praise Michael's abilities as a father and [shows] Bashir making statements about how he feels it is a pity that the world is so quick to criticise Michael".

"On the face of it, either Martin Bashir was lying to Michael or was misleading his audience on the voiceovers on the film," the statement said, adding that Mr Bashir had been aware he was being filmed during his interviews.

The lawyers had said the filmmakers had used footage of Jackson's children even though he had forbidden them to do so, and had unfairly asked him about a 1993 child abuse allegation without prior warning.

Jackson said the filmmakers had also talked to a 12-year-old boy who shared his bed without seeking permission for the interview from the boy's parents.