Jacko was due to rehearse at Elstree Studios (From Borehamwood Times)

Jacko was due to rehearse at Elstree Studios

12:17pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

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MICHAEL JACKSON was due to rehearse at Elstree Studios ahead of his tour dates at the O2 arena.

He was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to more than one million people at London’s O2 arena, starting on July 13, before his death last week.

Mr Jackson was rushed to hospital last Thursday from his home in Los Angeles while paramedics tried to restart his heart after a suspected cardiac arrest.

Thousands of fans across the world are in mourning for the singer.

Roger Morris, managing director of Elstree Studios, in Shenley Road, Borehamwood, said: “Initially Michael Jackson was provisionally booked in to rehearse at Elstree Studios prior to his appearance at the O2.

“Michael was very familiar with Elstree Studios having visited Steven Spielberg during the filming of Indiana Jones.

“In addition Liz and Chris Clark who are based at Elstree Studios textured and painted the giant statue of Michael Jackson to mark the release of his HIStory album.

“We are all Michael Jackson fans at Elstree Studios and we were very much looking forward to him coming to Elstree again.”

Paul Welsh, film columnist for the Borehamwood & Elstree Times, said: “He was here to see the filming of Indiana Jones in 1988 as he was good friends with Steven Spielberg.

“I’m not sure why he was in the UK but it was probably for some concert dates.

“I was invited by the studio’s managing director Andrew Mitchell to have the opportunity to meet Michael but I didn’t go, which I suppose I regret a little now.

“I remember there was a lot going on when he was here and there were a number of cars with blacked out windows and staff around the studios.

“His death is different to, say, the death of Frank Sinatra who died an elderly man in his 80s.

“It is like the loss of Elvis Presley, who died at only 42.

“Both Elvis and Michael Jackson died in what is considered the prime years of your life and this has obviously made a greater impact.”

Husband and wife team Mr and Mrs Clark run a company called Scenic Art Partnership at Elstree Studios.

They decorated a 35-ft high glass fibre statue in 1995 to promote Michael Jackson’s album HIStory.

The statue was moored near Tower Bridge in London after being towed along the Thames river.

Mrs Clark said: “The statue was sculptured and built by someone else but we got to decorate it. As it was so high it had to stand on the backlot of the studios.

“We were there for the launch and although we didn’t get to meet Michael Jackson it was a great privilege to do this for him.”

Mr and Mrs Clark have worked as scenic artists for Robbie Williams in 2003 and the Rolling Stones in 2005.

Mrs Clark added: “I was devastated myself to hear of Michael’s death.”

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