Bad?

The King of Pop is dead. Long live The King.

It's been nearly a week now since the shocking news from celeb-ville that Michael Jackson died at home from a massive heart attack leaving a sparkly gloved void in the music industry.

13 number one singles, The biggest selling album of all time, Thriller and sales of 300 million records made Wacko Jacko an icon and a hero to many. Now in death this loyal following will continue on across new generations ironically meaning the huge debts about which we've read will likely be repaid ten times over.

The price of celebrity was high for Jackson. Odd 'skin conditions', odder marriages and questionable choice of company - that lovable chimp and source of much amusement for the press, Bubbles.

But sadly the story by which most of us will remember him are those allegations of child abuse. Jordy Chandler and Gavin Arvizo ultimately saw to Jacko's demise, all the while happily accepting life changing sums of money from the star, the reasons for which we will now never really know.

These allegations and those questionable payments ultimately led to years of demonisation in the press.

Yet look now they hale him a hero, icon and King of Pop.

Michael Jackson 1968-2009