KING OF POP Michael Jackson died last night after a massive heart attack.

He collapsed and stopped breathing after an injection of a powerful painkiller named Demerol.

Jacko, 50, was said to be addicted to the drug - similar to morphine - and it is feared he took an overdose.

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Paramedics who raced to his Los Angeles home after an emergency call found he had no pulse. And frantic attempts to revive him failed.

The Thriller star, who had been fighting skin cancer, was due to start a series of comeback concerts in London next month.

Instead, millions of shocked fans around the globe are today mourning a legend.

 

 

Madge plotted Jackson duet
 

Michael Jackson dies: Leave your tributes to the star here

Jackson was due to perform 50 farewell concerts in London, bowing out on an illustrious music career spanning several decades which earned him a fortune.

Fears were sparked for Jackson's health last month when four of his This Is It concert dates were pushed back, but organisers insisted the dates were moved due to the sheer magnitude of the spectacle.

The first scheduled show was due to take place on July 8 but changed to July 13 with the other three dates rescheduled to spring 2010.

The London shows would have marked Jackson's first live performance for more than two years.

At the World Music Awards in London in November 2006 he performed just a few lines from We Are The World.

Jackson last toured 12 years ago when he played 82 shows in 58 cities for the HIStory tour.

He has spent time living outside the United States since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

Jackson has three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Junior, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.