ITV should carry out an investigation into Martin Bashir over his interview with Michael Jackson, according to Wacko’s confidante and former lawyer.
Brian Oxman feels Bashir “induced” Jacko to make comments about sleeping with children, while he “misled Michael”, “duping him into thinking he would make a positive film”.
Mr Oxman says this set off a chain of events that led to Jackson’s subsequent overdose death.
Now – fresh from the BBC’s investigation into Bashir – Mr Oxman is calling for ITV to review the host’s actions.
Speaking from Los Angeles, he said: “ITV should hold a review into what happened with the Michael documentary.
(Image: Getty Images)
“The people who made that show were up to their eyeballs in it.
“Bashir presented the show as a way for Michael to show off his talent and the real man behind the myth, but it was in truth a character assassination.
“The same move that he pulled with Diana.
“Bashir used the fact Princess Diana had approved and trusted him as assurance he was in safe hands. Michael had no idea that he had deceived Diana.
(Image: Video Grabs)
“Only after all these years do we understand now the implications of that betrayal.
“He targeted the two biggest stars of the 20th Century, both of whom were the most vulnerable.
“And Bashir exploited Michael’s kindness to let him into his home with his family – and he did it with deception.
”When you look back now Bashir was not the world’s top journalist, but yet he got the two biggest interviews… how did that happen? Questions should be asked.”
(Image: Getty Images)
He said Bashir, who was recently exposed as using fraudulent tactics for securing his Diana interview, continuously misrepresented the Jacko documentary, aired on ABC in February 2003, to his friend.
Jackson’s team tried to salvage the star’s reputation after realising that the ITV show Living With Michael Jackson presented him as a predator.
Mr Oxman claims Bashir told Jackson that his closeness to children was “a spiritually kind thing”, before describing Neverland as a “dangerous place for a vulnerable child” on ITV.
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Mr Oxman’s explosive claims are supported by legal papers which states that Bashir “induced” Jackson to make comments about getting close to and sleeping with children.
Unearthed paperwork reveals that Jackson through his lawyers accused Bashir of continuous misrepresentation to MJ.
Jackson accused Bashir of making “a mockery” of the court when he refused cross examination about his time with MJ.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
