Fans flock to Jackson film premiere

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London was one of 17 cities across the world which hosted simultaneous premieres of a film of footage from Jackson's rehearsals for his This Is It live dates.

Jackson, 50, died in June, just weeks before the 50-date residency at London's 02 was due to start, but the film gives a taste of the spectacle he had planned to be his "curtain call".

Many fans were close to tears as they left the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square after the 1am premiere.

Rapper Chipmunk described the film as "absolutely amazing". He said: "It's given me the package of what his tour could have been if he was still alive."

Former Blue star Duncan James, who hosted the pre-premiere entertainment show in Leicester Square, said the footage showed that Jackson had been ready to perform live for the first time in years and was in full control of the show's preparations.

Jackson fan Ashiq Baluch, 21, from east London, said: "It was amazing. I'm so emotional after seeing that. I just wish I could have been there to see him live. I wish I could have seen that on stage."

Maria Economou, from Wembley, north-west London, said watching the film had brought a mixture of emotions but added: "It was beautiful to see Michael perform and to see how human he was."

The Los Angeles premiere of Michael Jackson's This Is It was an emotional event attended by members of the performer's family as well as the film's director Kenny Ortega and stars including Will Smith and Jennifer Lopez.

There was a more celebratory mood in London where the evening featured Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity performing their own dance tribute.