has admitted that playing in was a ‘bad call.’
The 2016 instalment of Urban Myths was surrounded by controversy over the casting of the white actor as the late singer before the broadcaster made the decision to.
The Thriller singer’s daughter , writing on Twitter she wanted to ‘vomit’ after watching the trailer and felt ‘incredibly offended’.
Sky then , titled Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, ‘in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson’s immediate family.’
It would have followed Jackson, who died in 2009, on a road trip with Paris’ godmother Dame Elizabeth Taylor (Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brandon (Brian Cox) from New York to Los Angeles in the wake of 9/11.
Reflecting on Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, Joesph expressed his regret over signing up for the role and claimed he was the one who demanded that Sky pulled it.
He said: ‘I think people are absolutely right to be upset. And it was a wrong decision. Absolutely. And I’m one part of that – there are producers, broadcasters, writers, directors, all involved in these decisions.
Joseph continued to : ‘But obviously if I’m upfront, I have become the voice for other people. I would love them to be around the table as well to talk about it.
‘But you know, it came at a time where there was a movement and a shift and that was good, and it was, you know, a bad call. A bad mistake.’
‘And, just to say. I asked the broadcaster to pull it. And there were some pretty hefty discussions, but ultimately people made the right choice.’
In 2017, Joseph had defended Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon as ‘’, adding: ‘So we have to look at it through that lens.’
He told at the time: ‘The depiction of the three characters is very satirical, comic, light-hearted, to examine the disconnect of iconic celebrity.’
The Luther actor, who will play England manager , had also .
‘It doesn’t poke mean fun but it’s a story, possibly urban legend, whereby Michael, Marlon Brando, and Liz Taylor were all together the day before 9/11 doing a concert,’ he said.
‘Airspace was shut down and they couldn’t get out and Michael had the bright idea to go to hire a car and drive.’
He added: ‘So the three of them got in a car and drove 500 miles to Los Angeles. It took them a while because they had to stop at a lot of Burger Kings for Marlon; but they got out!
‘It’s a lovely thing about Michael’s relationship with Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando. It’s a fun, light-hearted tongue in cheek road trip of what celebrity of that kind is like.
‘But also it’s rather beautiful and poignant about their relationships as well.’
Jackson died at the age of 50 of a massive overdose of the general anesthetic propofol in June 2009, with his personal doctor Conrad Murray later serving two years for involuntary manslaughter.
The Way You Make Me Feel singer faced multiple accusations of child sex abuse before his death and was tried and acquitted of child sexual abuse and several other charges in 2005.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Sky for comment.
