Leaving Neverland is airing in Ireland tonight after gaining a huge reaction over in the US earlier this week.
The explosive HBO documentary, which aired in two parts on Sunday and Monday night in the US, addresses child abuse allegations against Michael Jackson and features interviews with two of his accusers.
Wade Robson and James Safechuck, now in their 30s, claim they befriended the musician when they were aged seven and 10 respectively and were then sexually abused by him.
Jackson has faced several allegations over the years spanning as far back as the 90s, and previously went to trial in 2005 over allegations of sexual abuse made by 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo. He maintained his innocence and was cleared of all charges.
If you’re planning to watch it for yourself, Leaving Neverland will air on Channel 4 in two parts, with the first half being shown tonight at 9pm and finishing up tomorrow night.
Michael Jackson’s nephew Taj Jackson gave his only Irish interview on RTÉ Radio One this week in order to defend him ahead of the documentary’s air date.
He told Sean O’Rourke, “You know your family, I spent thousands of hours with my uncle Michael… I wouldn’t have flown to the UK to defend him if I thought for one instant that he was guilty.”
A number of radio stations around the world have pulled Jackson’s music since Leaving Neverland finished airing in the US on Monday night, The Guardian reports.
Ryan Tubridy said he was unlikely to ever play Jackson’s music on his RTÉ Radio One show either, explaining, “The chances are, you won’t hear one again on this programme being played again, because it just leaves one very queasy at the thought.
“If a quarter of what those say happened to them at the hands of Michael Jackson then we all have to sit down and reassess our approach to that pop star and that icon, and probably, I have to say, his back catalogue.”
