| Michael Jackson today branded Martin Bashir's programme about his life a "gross distortion of the truth" and said he felt "devastated and utterly betrayed".
The pop superstar accused Bashir of breaking a promise not to include footage of his children in the film and said the programme falsely made him out to be a bad parent.
But Granada Television dismissed Jacko's accusations and stood by Bashir, insisting the controversial programme was "truthful and open".
A spokesman said: "There has been no distortion, misrepresentation or breach of trust. Martin Bashir agreed with Michael that we'd make an honest film about his life and we've fulfilled that promise."
Bashir spent eight months with Jackson making the sometimes shocking documentary in which Jackson admitted sharing his bed with young boys. During one disturbing scene the star sat holding hands with his new friend, a 12-year-old called Gavin.
The one-time King of Pop also insisted his children were masked whenever they went out in public and draped a veil around baby son Blanket's face as he bottle-fed him.
Today he accused Bashir, who famously interviewed Princess Diana for Panorama, of misrepresenting his abilities as a father.
And he moaned that the film, in which he tried to justify dangling his baby son over a 60-foot balcony, gave a false impression of life in the Jackson household.
He said:"I trusted Martin Bashir to come into my life and that of my family because I wanted the truth to be told.
"Martin Bashir persuaded me to trust him that his would be an honest and fair portrayal of my life and told me that he was 'the man that turned Diana's life around'.
"Today I feel more betrayed than perhaps ever before; that someone, who had got to know my children, my staff and me, whom I let into my heart and told the truth, could then sacrifice the trust I placed in him and produce this terrible and unfair programme.
"Everyone who knows me will know the truth which is that my children come first in my life and that I would never harm any child."
A spokesman for the star added: "Michael is devastated and feels utterly betrayed by the programme, Living With Michael Jackson, which he regards as a gross distortion of the truth and a tawdry attempt to misrepresent his life and his abilities as a father.
"Michael feels deeply angry that the programme could have led viewers to conclude that he abuses children in any way. Michael Jackson has never, and would never, treat a child inappropriately or expose them to any harm and totally refutes any suggestions to the contrary."
A spokesman for programme-maker Granada said: "We stand by our programme - it is a truthful, open and intimate portrayal of many aspects of Michael Jackson's life.
"Michael is a controversial figure with many critics. It's not surprising that a film about him, which is so open and revealing, draws some hostile reaction and comment about him.
"It's regrettable that Michael should feel devastated as a result of that, but perhaps inevitable."
The spokesman added that there was no agreement with Jackson to keep footage of his children out of the film.
Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe, the mother of his eldest children Prince Michael and Paris, leapt to his defence today.
She told GMTV: "He's a really wonderful, loving, caring man and he's not portrayed as he really is and it really pisses me off.
"There could be no other person that could be a better father. And I resent anyone making allegations that he is not a parent, and that he is not a proper parent."
Jackson has told the children they have no mother, and revealed to Bashir how he took Paris from Rowe just moments after she was born. | |
