A British TV show in which a white actor was set to play African American pop icon Michael Jackson has been scrapped following intense criticism from fans and Jackson's 18-year-old daughter, Paris.

The Sky Arts production, an installment in a series called Urban Legends, was to follow Michael Jackson — as portrayed by white actor Joseph Fiennes — on a fabled road trip with screen legends Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando.

After the show's trailer hit the web last week, Paris Jackson joined fans in expressing disgust for Fiennes' casting. "I'm so incredibly offended by it, as I'm sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit," she tweeted at the time.

It seems Paris' reaction had an impact. Sky Arts announced on Saturday that the Urban Legends installment will not be airing after all.

"We have taken the decision not to broadcast Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a half-hour episode from the Sky Arts Urban Myths series, in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson's immediate family," the company explained in its statement. "We set out to take a light-hearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offense. Joseph Fiennes fully supports our decision."

Paris wrote that she was pleasantly taken aback by the move. "I'm surprised the family's feelings were actually taken into consideration for once," she admitted in a now-deleted tweet.

Then, apparently addressing Sky Arts, she added a thank-you on the family's behalf, writing, "We all really do appreciate it more than y'all know."

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Noelle Devoe
Entertainment Editor

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