When Michael Jackson sat down to chat with Oprah Winfrey in 1993, it would go down in history as the most-watched interview ever.
The King of Pop opened up to Oprah on February 10 that year – and 62 million Americans tuned in to watch it at the time.
In the historic chat, the music legend revealed a number of shocking admissions about his personal life.
40 years on since the infamous chat Daily Star has looked back at some of Michael's utterly shocking claims.
The singer didn't hold back as he spoke openly about topics including his traumatic childhood, skin colour and even rumoured romances.
One of Michael's most painful claims was about his father, Joseph Jackson, beating him as a young child.
Jackson was clearly emotional when he spoke about his relationship with his father, who could frighten him with "just a look", and so much so that he'd become physically sick.
Michael said: "He saw me, he wanted me… I guess I don't know if I was his golden child or whatever it was, some may call it a strict disciplinarian or whatever, but he was very strict, very hard, very stern. Just a look would scare you, you know"
He went on: "There's been times when he'd come to see me, and I would get sick. I'd start to regurgitate."
The pop star explained he was "very scared" of his father, who denied allegations that he had beaten his son in the past.
Later on in the interview, Michael revealed that he suffered from a disease called vitiligo, which explained the lost colour in his skin as the condition destroyed skin pigmentation.
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He explained: " I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it's something that I cannot help. Okay. But when people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am it hurts me."
Michael's dermatologist confirmed he had diagnosed the singer with vitiligo in 1986.
The star had tried to cover up the condition by putting on black makeup, as he feared for the impact on his career.
However, rumours had been swirling around that he had been bleaching his skin to look more white.
Shutting down the rumours, Michael said: "There is no such thing as skin bleaching. I’ve never seen it."
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Later in the talk, Oprah asked him about reports that Michael had purchased the bones of John Merrick, also known as the Elephant Man, who suffered from severe body deformities.
Oprah asked: "Did you buy the Elephant man's bones, were you trying to get them for …"
But Michael insisted: "No that's another stupid story. I love the story of the Elephant Man, he reminds me of me a lot and I could relate to it, it made me cry because I saw myself in in the story, but no I never asked for the … where am I going to put some bones?"
He also asked: "Why would I want some bones?", before adding that it was simply a lie.
Then the pair spoke about a story that alleged Michael had wanted a "little white child" to play him in a Pepsi commercial.
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Michael said: "That is so stupid. That is the most ridiculous, horrifying story I've ever heard. It's crazy. Why, number one, it's my face as a child in the commercial, me when I was little, why would I want a white child to play me? I'm a black American, I am proud to be a black American, I am proud of my race."
Oprah wanted to chat about Michael's love life – and she even asked him whether or not he was a virgin.
Reacting to the question, Michael replied: "Uhhhhh, how could you ask you that question?" before avoiding the question as he was "embarrassed."
He did, however, say that he dated women and was seeing Brooke Shields at the time.
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When Oprah asked him if he was in love, Michael answered "yeah", confirming that he loved Brooke and had previously loved "another girl".
However, the chat show host later pressed him on rumours he'd proposed to close pal Elizabeth Taylor before.
Michael was wed to Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley between 1994 and 1996, and later Debbie Rowe from 1996 until 1999.
Jackson said: "Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, beautiful, and she still is today, I'm crazy about her."
However, he told viewers that he hadn't, despite wishing he had.
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He was in for a surprise though when Oprah brought out Taylor herself to chat, who confirmed that he never proposed.
Oprah was also keen to find out if Michael was planning on having kids in the future.
To that, Jackson answered: "I would feel my life is incomplete if I do not 'cause I adore the family life, I adore children and I adore that whole thing. And I would love to, that's one of my dreams, but I couldn't right now because I'm married, I'm married to my music and there has to be that closeness in order to do the kind of work that I want to do."
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