Controversial Episode Featuring a White Actor Playing Michael Jackson Pulled After Backlash

An episode of the half-hour Urban Myths series set to feature a white guy playing Michael Jackson has been scrapped. Sky Arts pulled the episode from its schedule following a wave of criticism from both fans and the late King of Pop’s immediate family, Rolling Stone reported Friday.

“We have taken the decision not to broadcast Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a half-hour episode from the Sky Arts Urban Myths series, in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson’s immediate family,” Sky Arts told Rolling Stone. “We set out to take a lighthearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offense.” Joseph Fiennes, whose portrayal of Jackson was widely panned when the first trailer for the episode hit earlier this week, “fully supports” the decision.

In a series of tweets, Paris Jackson—Michael’s daughter—said she was angered by the insulting nature of Fiennes’ portrayal and that the very idea of it all made her “want to vomit.”

Taj, Michael’s nephew, also slammed the Urban Myths episode. “Unfortunately this is what my family has to deal with,” Taj told Soledad O’Brien Wednesday. “No words could express the blatant disrespect.”

In an interview with the Associated Press last February, Fiennes defended the casting decision as part of a “very sweet” bit of comedy. “This is territory that is sensitive,” he said at the time. “One must determine if this portrayal is one that is going to be positive entertainment, and one that will not bring about division and put anyone’s noses out of joint, so I went with the mind that this was a positive light-hearted comedy.”