ITV to repeat Michael Jackson interview

ITV to repeat Michael Jackson interview
ITV to repeat Michael Jackson interview (Image credit: AP/PA Photos)

Michael Jackson's notorious interview which sparked concerns about his relationships with children and shattered his reputation is to be screened again on ITV. Interviewer Martin Bashir followed the late star for six months to film Living With Michael Jackson, a programme in which the singer defended allowing young visitors to use his bed. The repeat will be edited from its original 90 minutes to just an hour, leaving out an interview with 12-year-old Gavin Arvizo, in which he spoke of his friendship with Jackson. The boy's claims led to molestation charges but Jackson was acquitted of the allegations. An ITV spokesman said: "There is clearly still an enormous interest among the public about Michael Jackson following his tragic and untimely death and we thought it was appropriate to give the public another chance to see highlights from this revealing landmark film." Bashir was also with the singer when he ran to a balcony of his Berlin hotel room and briefly dangled one of his children over the edge. The programme will be screened on July 16 on ITV1.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.