MICHAEL JACKSON was readying himself for an onslaught from the American media yesterday after the ABC television network paid nearly £4 million for the ITV documentary in which the singer claimed that he regularly shares his bed with children.

In addition, it was reported that a leading civil rights lawyer had filed a complaint against the singer over fears that children visiting him could be at risk. Gloria Allred also made a complaint against Jackson after he was pictured holding his baby son over a balcony at a hotel in Berlin in November.

ABC has already shelved a made-for-television film called NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 to make way for the documentary. It will be shown tomorrow at 8pm.

Other networks, in an attempt to stop viewers being lured away by ABC, have tweaked their schedules in response. NBC will run a two-hour marathon of the sitcoms Friends and Will & Grace.

It is unlikely that Tom Sneddon, the District Attorney, for Santa Barbara, California, where Jackson’s Neverland ranch is located, will comment on the case until he has seen the documentary. He did not respond to inquiries yesterday.

The comments by Jackson, 44, in the documentary could make him vulnerable to lawsuits from the parents of the children who have visited Neverland. Child protection authorities in Santa Barbara may also decide to investigate.

Jackson was accused of sexual molestation in 1993 by the parents of a 13-year-old boy. The family dropped the case after reaching an £18.5 million financial settlement. No charges were brought.

In the documentary a visibly upset Jackson said that he paid the money to avoid an O. J. Simpson-style trial.

An audience of 15 million watched the ITV documentary on Monday night which brought the channel £3 million in advertising revenue. The audience exceeded that for England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat by Brazil last year and the Golden Jubilee pop concert.

Children’s charities have condemned his admissions.

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