Mark lester has defended his closer friend Michael Jackson amid child sex abuse allegations.
The Oliver star, who was invited to meet the pop star at the age of 18 because he loved the film, said Michael’s "only crime was being naive".
The actor got an intense grilling about his own response to Michael’s actions during an awkward This Morning interview today.
Mark was invited on to the show to discuss the abuse claims made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in new documentary Leaving Neverland.
The Oliver Twist actor said: "I know neither of those guys. I can’t comment on that, but I can only tell you about my experience with Michael and my family and visiting Neverland several times, spending Christmases with him and lots of time in London."
"These awful allegations are not the man I knew."
Mark disagreed with claims that two children were "brainwashed" by Michael as he questioned their motives.
"I don’t know why now this has come forward, well I do know why," he said.
"I understand what you’re saying about sexual abuse, it’s an awful thing. I think there’s a lot to come out, not with Michael with other people.
"With Michael there was a genuine naivety and innocence thats hard to explain."
Ruth dug a little deeper and asked Mark why he didn’t say anything to Michael about sleeping in the same bed as underage boys.
Mark said: "He didn’t get that. He didn’t understand. In todays society it’s not really acceptable to behave in the manner he did."
When pushed again, he added: "It’s funny, in his presence that stuff fell away. It was irrelevant."
Mark, who donated some of his sperm to Michael, was then asked if he believed he was the father of any of Michael’s kids.
The actor said that Michael told him he had disposed of the sample.
He said: "Regardless of who the so-called biological father is Michael raised those children as his own."
This Morning viewers took to Twitter after watching the ‘awkward’ interview.
One viewer said: "Mark Lester. Oh dear this is an awkward conversation about a v strange relationship"
Another added: "This is quite an extraordinary interview with Mark Lester."
A third said: "Gotta be the most awkward interview ever. This guy is babbling ehm and ahing his way through the weirdest questions ever. Move on please"
*This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10.30am
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