This Morning hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford came under fire on Friday for interrogating child star Mark Lester over his friendship with Michael Jackson.
Speaking in the wake of a documentary on the musician, which is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday, the Oliver! actor, 60, once again discussed the subject of the sperm donation he gave to Michael, who passed away in 2009.
While chatting about the scenario, Eamonn grilled Mark over his claims that he is the biological father to Michael’s daughter Paris while Ruth asked Mark if the late singer was ‘infertile’ – leading to a furious reaction from fans on Twitter.
Shocking: Grilling: This Morning hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford came under fire on Tuesday for interrogating child star Mark Lester over his friendship with Michael Jackson
Mark found fame at the age of eight when he played the title role in the film of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! in 1968. He became good friends with Jackson in London in 1978 when the singer was performing with the Jackson 5.
Since then Mark, who is now an osteopath and lives in Cheltenham with his second wife Lisa and the four children from his first marriage, has repeatedly discussed his friendship with Michael and the sperm donation he gave the star.
His appearance on This Morning comes ahead of the release of Leaving Neverland, which has exposed fresh sex abuse claims as one-time Michael Jackson fans Wade Robson and James Safechuck have made accusations against the late hitmaker
On Tuesday morning’s show, Eamonn asked Mark about the sperm donation stories, to which Mark countered: ‘I did give a sperm donation to MJ, I had four children, he said: “How do you do it?”…
Candid: Mark’s interview was widely discussed on Twitter after his grilling from the couple
‘Well, yeah, I think again, expanding on his naivety, I think he knew how to do it but was going on the fact of why I was so fertile and what was the secret.’
While he had previously claimed he is Paris’ father, he said to the couple: ‘Regardless of who the biological father is-was, whatever, MJ raised them as his own’.
In 2017, Mark discussed the possibility of fathering Paris as he said of his donation: ‘I was just helping out a friend. I think he had a problem with actually doing the physical act of sex and a very low sperm count as well.’
During Friday’s interview, Ruth and Eamonn pushed: ‘Do you ever look and see similarities between yourself and Paris? Is that not strange, if you realised you were the biological father of that child? Not weird?’
Weighing in: While chatting about the scenario, Eamonn grilled Mark over his claims that he is the biological father to Michael’s daughter Paris while Ruth asked Mark if the late singer was ‘infertile’ – leading to a furious reaction from fans on Twitter
Mark countered: ‘It was something given and discarded, Michael brought those kids up. He told me he had thrown it all away.’
Taking to Twitter, viewers penned: ‘Regardless of how we feel about MJ, the way Mark Lester is being grilled about sperm donation is so outdated! I would find anyone asking myself questions like this when we have children so offensive…
‘What the hell kind of interview was that?!! The talk with Mark Lester was meant to be about the bogus full of sh*t “Documentary” on @thismorning so what has sperm do at ion got to do with it!! #Disappointed…
Shocking: Ruth and Eamonn were scolded by viewers for the chat
Shocking: Speaking in the wake of a new documentary on the music legend, which is being premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the Oliver actor once again discussed the widely-publicised subject of the sperm donation he gave to Michael
‘He totally ballsed that opportunity for the #truth up!… Please ask Mark Lester about Paris Jackson, how it came about that Michael asked him to be a sperm donor.’
Ruth was heavily criticised for asking if Michael was infertile, with a Twitter user writing: ‘I haven’t been a fan of this guy, Mark Lester, w/the whole im Paris father malarkey, but d’ya know what in this moment fair f**king play to him, publicly defending MJ like this…
‘He’s got some loyalty & hopefully will shine light Taj as a result.. #ThisMorning #MichaelJackson. Ruth: “was he infertile?” – what kind of disrespectful f**king question is that…
‘And I’m annoyed Mark Lester won’t just say “im not talking about this” boom done. You’re there to talk about the documentary ffs… He’s feeding their questions’.
Happy days: While he had previously insisted he is Paris’ father, he said to the couple: ‘Regardless of who the biological father is was whatever, MJ raised them as his own’ (Paris pictured at a Las Vegas party in August)
Weighing in: Speaking about the new documentary, Mark said: ‘I know neither of those guys, I can’t comment on that, I can only tell you about my experience with Michael and my family visiting Neverland several times’
The damning new documentary – said to prove that Michael was a sexual predator of young boys – has its world premiere on Friday. The four-hour film Leaving Neverland previews under unprecedented levels of security at the Sundance Film Festival.
It is said to document how James Safechuck, from the age of ten, and seven-year-old Wade Robson, were befriended and eventually sexually assaulted by the singer, who died aged 50 in 2009.
The film features detailed corroborative evidence – gathered by filmmaker Dan Reed and his researchers — that the star performed unspeakable acts on the two boys – who are the latest accusers following decades of claims against the star.
In the Sundance Film Festival programme, Leaving Neverland is said to have ‘gut-wrenching’ interviews with Safechuck and Wade and their families, and documents ‘the power of celebrity that allowed a revered figure to infiltrate’ the lives of the boys.
Harrowing: It is said to document how James Safechuck, from the age of ten, and seven-year-old Wade Robson (pictured in 2005), were befriended and eventually sexually assaulted by the singer, who died aged 50 in 2009
Speaking about the new documentary, Mark said: ‘I know neither of those guys, I can’t comment on that, I can only tell you about my experience with Michael and my family visiting Neverland several times, spending Christmases and lots of time when he came London. This awful allegation it’s just not the man I knew…
‘I find that quite hard to believe [the allegations], having testified before, it’s an element of you have to tell the truth, I suggest that was the truth. I don’t know why it’s now come forth…
‘I understand what you’re saying about sexual abuse it is an awful thing, a lot of things that are going to come out about other people , with MJ there is a genuine naivety and innocence about Michael, it’s very hard to explain…
‘He was naive… He didn’t understand, in today’s society it is not acceptable to behave in the manner he did…
‘He was deeply disturbed by the 2005 court case that affected him deeply, it was a trust betrayed a friendship destroyed he saved a boy from cancer. The whole thing was turned around.’
BAZ BAMIGBOYE: Four-hour documentary film Leaving Neverland that ‘PROVES’ Michael Jackson sexually abused young boys has its world premiere
A damning new documentary said to prove that Michael Jackson was a sexual predator of young boys gets its world premiere today.
The four-hour film Leaving Neverland previews under unprecedented levels of security at the Sundance Film Festival.
It is said to document how James Safechuck, from the age of ten, and seven-year-old Wade Robson, were befriended and eventually sexually assaulted by the singer, who died aged 50 in 2009.
Michael Jackson and Wade Robson, right, leaving the Netherland ranch. This photograph is taken from a movie which will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival which alleges that the entertainer abused Robson and another youngster, James Safechuck
Wade Robson, pictured in 2005, claims Jackson abused him as a child
The film, which I will be viewing at the first public screening at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah, features detailed corroborative evidence — definitive, apparently, and gathered by film-maker Dan Reed and his researchers — that the so-called King Of Pop performed unspeakable acts on the two boys.
The film festival, in its programme, said Leaving Neverland has ‘gut-wrenching’ interviews with Safechuck and Wade (now adults) and their families, and that the picture documents ‘the power of celebrity that allowed a revered figure to infiltrate’ the lives of the two boys.
Allegations of sexual abuse by Jackson have been around for decades, but I gather this film contains startling, irrefutable proof.
Jackson’s estate has denied all the allegations, though they have not yet been shown Leaving Neverland.
Safechuck and Wade will be at today’s screening, as will representatives from Channel 4 and HBO, who produced the film. Leaving Neverland will be broadcast on C4 this winter.
A Broadway-bound musical backed by the Michael Jackson Estate, Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough, about the singer, scrambled to announce itself on Wednesday ahead of the Sundance screening.
It will open in Chicago in October and head to Broadway on December 1.
Jackson’s estate has denied all the allegations, though they have not yet been shown Leaving Neverland