Michael Jackson’s music has been dropped from BBC Radio 2’s playlists ahead of the release of the controversial documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which details new child sex abuse claims against the late pop star.
Part one of the two-part doc aired on HBO Sunday night, which explores the curious cases of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who both allege Jackson raped them as children.
According to The Times, the last time the King of Pop’s solo material was played on Radio 2 was Saturday February 24. The BBC said: “We consider each piece of music on its own merits and decisions what we play on different network are always made with relevant audiences and context in mind.”
In a recent interview with the BBC, Robson said MJ began abusing him when he was seven years old. “Every time I stayed the night with him, he abused me. Fondling, touching, my entire body and my penis,” he said.
Speaking to “CBS This Morning,” he also shared with Gayle King that Jackson invited him to stay over at Neverland Ranch first with his family, then by himself.
“Within either the first or second night of Michael and I being alone at Neverland, the nights started changing,” he said.
“One of the ways I remember it starting is Michael sort of starting to touch my legs and touch my crotch over my pants. It progressed to him performing oral sex on me, him showing me how to perform oral sex on him.”
Prior to his death, both Robson and Safechuck defended Jackson by offering testimony in a related court case that the music legend had not abused them. Some fans cite this is proof of the singer’s innocence.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the BBC2 denied that Jackson’s music has been dropped off the Radio 2 playlist.
“We don’t ban songs or artists and Michael Jackson, like any other artist, could be played on BBC Radio. As we have said, we consider each piece of music on its merits and decisions on what we play on different networks are always made with relevant audiences and context in mind,” the spokesman stated.
