Michael Jackson’s songs canned by radio stations around the world after Leaving Neverland documentary child sex abuse claims

DOZENS of radio stations around the world have pulled Michael Jackson's songs after explosive child sex abuse claims in a new Channel 4 documentary.

The Billie Jean singer faces claims that he groomed young children, even carrying out a fake wedding ceremony with a ten-year-old boy in the HBO documentary Finding Neverland.

Reuters 6 Michael Jackson's songs have been pulled from radio stations in New Zealand and Canada after child sex abuse claims aired in Leaving Neverland

AP:Associated Press 6 Wade Robson, left, and James Safechuck, right, made sex abuse allegations against Jackson in the chilling Channel 4 documentary Leaving Neverland, directed by Dan Reed, centre

Broadcasters are now moving to act amid pressure from listeners who have watched the documentary that has torn apart the pop icon's already questionable legacy.

In New Zealand, two radio stations that broadcast to over half of the population have now removed his music.

State-owned RNZ said their decision is “a reflection of our audiences and their preferences”.

And NZME director Dean Buchanan said, “Playlists change from week to week and right now Michael Jackson does not feature on them.”

Playlists change from week to week and right now Michael Jackson does not feature on them Dean Buchanan, director of NZME

Canadian radio stations have also followed suit.

Media company Cogeco stripped his songs from the playlists of all 23 of its Quebec stations, including its three major Montreal broadcasters CKOI, Rythme and The Beat.

Amsterdam-based Dutch radio station NHRadio and Norway's NRK have also dropped his music.

The BBC was reported by the Times to have quietly dropped his tunes from its Radio 2 playlists, though a spokesperson denied there was an outright "ban" on his music.

It comes after the release of the controversial two-part film, made by British filmmaker Dan Reed, that contains interviews with two former childhood fans of the Thriller singer who claim they were abused by him when they were children in his enormous Nevada mansion dubbed Neverland.

The documentary details fresh abuse claims from Wade Robson, a choreographer who says Jackson began abusing him when he was seven, and James Safechuck, a former child actor who says the singer began molesting him when he was 10.

It was branded a “horror film” after the four-hour film's debut revealed gruesome accounts from two of Jackson's alleged victims who are now in their 30s.

Leaving Neverland left audience members shocked with graphic abuse claims including how the singer allegedly gave a young boy jewellery in exchange for sex acts.

Amy Kaufman, LA Times Hollywood writer, said: "Incredibly emotional reaction from the audience after #LeavingNeverland.

"One audience member says he was molested as a child and that Robson and Safechuck "are going to do a lot more f***ing good in the world than Michael f***ing Jackson."

MOST READ IN NEWS DIAMOND GEEZER Billionaire diamond trader, 65, dies during penis enlargement surgery DOUBLE DEATH MYSTERY Boy, 17, arrested after young child and woman found dead at house HOUSE ABOUT THAT! Century-old two bed fixer-upper flat goes under the hammer for just £5k WHEN WILL IT STOP? Man dragged from home & stabbed to death as 14 lives claimed in 16 days DIED IN AGONY Family ‘kept girl, 14, naked in tiny cage and beat and starved her to death’

Jackson, who died in 2009 of a drug overdose, strongly denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him.

His estate has vehemently denounced the documentary.

After viewing the film at the Sundance Festival, the estate called the documentary “tabloid character assassination”.

RADIO STATIONS BANNING JACKO Canada: 23 stations in Quebec, including three major Montreal stations CKOI, Rythme, The Beat New Zealand: MediaWorks and NZME UK: The BBC denies outright "ban", but he's reported to have been quietly dropped from Radio 2 The Netherlands: NH Radio Norway: NRK

UNKNOWN 6 Jackson with James Safechuck who claims he was abused by the singer at Neverland

Rex Features 6 Jackson and Safechuck were almost inseparable — here pictured in London's Guildhall circa 1988

Rex Features 6 Leaving Neverland has been slammed by Michael Jackson's outraged family

Michael Jackson accuser James Safechuck tells Leaving Neverland doc how singer's lawyers coached him ahead of child sex abuse trial