British Director Dan Reed’s two-part Leaving Neverland documentary will air on Channel 4 tonight and tomorrow at 9pm. The programme features interviews with two of Michael Jackson’s alleged victims, James Safechuck and Wade Robson. The pair claim they were sexually abused by the King of Pop as children, speaking in graphic detail about what they say they experienced. The Jackson family has strenuously denied the allegations made by the two men, and their families, in the film which has already aired in the United States.
Jackson always protested his innocence about sexual abuse claims prior to his death in 2009.
He was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005.
But the documentary has divided celebrities both in the UK and across the Atlantic, generating passionate opinions – what has been said so far?
Oprah Winfrey hosted a sympathetic interview with Mr Safechuck, Mr Robinson and documentary maker Mr Reed on Monday.
The former talk show host said. “It is much bigger than any one person. This is a moment in time that allows us to see this societal corruption. It’s like a scourge on humanity.
“If it gets you, our audience, to see how it happens, then some good would have come of it.”
Ellen DeGeneres tweeted during the interview: “I hope everyone watches this.”
Other supporters include US actress and #MeToo activist Rose Mcgowan and US talk host Rosie O’Donnell.
But Stevie Wonder, a friend of the Thriller star, called for Jackson’s legacy to be respected.
When asked about the allegations by TMZ, he replied: “He’s died, he’s dead. Hopefully we can continue the legacy he has given a lot of kids and a lot of people.”
Former child actor Mark Lester has defended Michael Jackson, telling he ITV Lorraine Show Finding Neverland made him “feel quite sick”.
The former Oliver! star said: ”This is not the Michael Jackson I knew for over 30 years. This is not the man that my children knew.”
Child star Corey Feldman, who was friends with the singer growing up, took to Twitter to defend Jackson.
The Lost Boys actor, who says he was sexually molested as a child but not by Jackson, said his “memories of MJ were mostly fond” and the documentary was one-sided.
He tweeted: “I do take issue with the fact that this whole thing is 1 sided w no chance of a defence from a dead man and no evidence other than the word of 2 men who as adults defended him in court.”
But filmmaker Judd Apatow later criticised the comments tweeting: “The Corey Feldman defence that MJ must not have done it because he didn’t do it to me doesn’t quite work.
“That’s like saying Ted Bundy wasn’t a murderer because I met him at a bar and he didn’t murder me.”
Mr Feldman later wrote a lengthy statement on Instagram, after receiving criticism online, saying “if for any reason the things are proven true, I would be in full support of them”.
Several members of the Michael Jackson family have spoken out against James Safechuck and Wade Robson in recent days.
Taj Jackson said his uncle would have been “crying” over the allegations, while Jermaine Jackson lambasted people for “blindly taking” the programme “at face value”.