Michael Jackson: The story of the troubled star's final day, 10 years on | Daily News

Michael Jackson: The story of the troubled star's final day, 10 years on

News of a medical emergency involving Michael Jackson started filtering through at around 22:00 BST on Thursday 25 June 2009.

I know because I was on my way to watch cheesy 90s boy band East 17 in the Dance Tent at the Glastonbury Festival. They were a warm-up act the day before the event properly began.

My editor called. Michael Jackson might have been rushed to hospital. He might be in a coma. That was according to TMZ, which was gaining a reputation for celebrity scoops.

But no-one knew if it was true. Strange stories about the King of Pop often bubbled up. A few weeks earlier, it had been reported that he had skin cancer, which was later denied.

Even so, I turned around and headed back to the dusty backstage cabin I had just been working in and searched for an update. In London, Los Angeles and around the world, newsrooms swung into action to try to find out what had happened. The BBC's LA bureau phoned spokespeople, associates and business managers. None would confirm anything. Some just hung up.


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