Michael Jackson kept exotic animals at his Neverland ranch.
(Picture: Getty Images)Ross Kemp’s new documentary will investigate what happened to the animals from Michael Jackson’s Neverland zoo.
The 75 minute episode will see Ross Kemp travel across the US to find out where Jackson’s animals ended up – with the fate of some of the pets “shrouded in mystery, scandal or tragedy.”
Kemp will also explore how the animals were treated under Jackson’s care, and will look at potential cases of animal cruelty.
The pop star left the ranch in 2005, before his death in 2009. But where did the animals go when Neverland closed down?
What animals lived at Michael Jackson’s zoo?
Michael Jackson had more than 50 species at his zoo, including exoctic species like giraffes, elephants, and tigers.
The pop star also famously owned a chimpanzee named Bubbles.
Where was Michael Jackson’s zoo?
The zoo was located at Jackson’s infamous Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara County, California.
The ranch, which was Jackson’s home, also had an amusement park and trains.
What happened to Michael Jackson’s animals?
Michael Jackson left the Neverland ranch in 2005 after being charged and later aquitted of child abuse. The alleged abuse was said to have taken place at the ranch.
After the trial, he left the ranch and never went back. The ranch fell into disrepair.
In 2008, the pop star sold a portion of the ranch and the amusement park rides were removed. He died of cardiac arrest in 2009, aged 50.
It is unclear what happened to the animals when Neverland closed down, but this is what Kemp attempts to uncover in the new documentary.
How to watch Searching for Michael Jackson’s Zoo with Ross Kemp
Searching for Michael Jackson’s Zoo will air on ITV tonight (April 27) at 9pm.
In a statement, Kemp said: “A rich star’s plaything and status symbol, Michael Jackson’s Zoo inspired a worldwide boom in the private ownership of exotic animals.
“This is a journey that will take me into the strange world of America’s private zoos and menageries and the often-cruel trade that supplies them.
“So, I want to find out how Jackson’s pets were treated at the ranch, where they went after it closed and what Neverland’s animal legacy truly is.”
