LONDON - A bombshell tape of Michael Jackson defending himself while being questioned over child abuse allegations has been found, revealing the late star’s attitude to sex, skin colour and his stand on the claims.

The never seen before video shows the singer with his hands in dismay and groaning irritably while a legal team quizzed him in 1996 as part of a lawsuit filed against him by staff at Neverland ranch in California.

The shock video at one point shows the Thriller hitmaker increasingly agitated, blasting child abuse claims and dubbing accusers as liars before citing the teachings of Jesus to defend his sleeping in the same bed as boy visitors to his ranch.

Jackson also insists on “setting the record straight”, saying he is not gay, denying bleaching his skin and adding he was proud to be black in the three hour video.

“I’m a black American and I’m proud of it. And I’m honoured of it. The bleached skin rumour, which is a rumour. I don’t bleach my skin,” the News of the World quoted him as saying.

He adds: “They say-they once said-I wanted a white kid to play me as a child, which was a rumour.”

Then he says: “I’m not gay. Don’t judge a person unless you have spoken to them one-on-one, which, which is true. ‘Cos what you hear is a lie.”

Jackson then defends his behaviour with kids, saying: “Jesus said to love the children and be like the children-to be youthful and innocent, and be pure and honourable.

“He always surrounded himself with children. That’s how I was raised-to believe, and to be like that, and to imitate that.” (ANI)