US network pulls Jackson TV special

America’s CBS television network has hurriedly scrapped a one-hour prime time special that was to air next week to promote Michael Jackson's latest project.

“Given the gravity of the charges against Mr Jackson we believe it would be inappropriate at this time to broadcast an entertainment special,” CBS said in a statement.

As well as Jackson, those who were due to appear on the programme included Dick Clark, Beyonce Knowles and Mary J Blige.

While the network isn’t expected to suffer financially because it had yet to pay an estimated €1m production fee, it risked losing advertisers if it aired a special glorifying the career of someone facing child abuse charges.

It is another blow to CBS which recently decided not to air its miniseries The Reagans after a wave of attacks from conservative critics who felt the series was unfair. Instead it will air on the network’s pay cable channel Showtime.