Stevie Wonder responds to Michael Jackson Leaving Neverland controversy: 'He's died, he's dead'

Musician was a friend and frequent collaborator of the late pop star

Stevie Wonder has responded to the aftermath of controversial Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland airing in the US on HBO.

The new documentary, which will air in two parts on Channel 4 in the UK tonight (6 March) and tomorrow at 9pm, features lengthy testimony from Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who claim they were sexually abused by Jackson when they were children.

Jackson's estate has denied all of the allegations in the documentary and accused Robson and Safechuck of being "opportunists" and "liars". It is currently suing HBO for $100m.

Stevie Wonder, who was a friend and regular collaborator with Jackson, was questioned by TMZ about how he thinks fans should feel about Jackson's music.

He responded: "He's died, he's dead. Hopefully we can continue the legacy he has given a lot of kids and a lot of people."

While he did not explicitly defend Jackson or say whether he believed the allegations against him, Wonder appeared to suggest he hoped people would not let the accusations tarnish his musical legacy.

However, that effect appears to have taken place already. Around the world, radio stations have been removing Jackson's music from their playlists, in response to a growing furore over the disturbing details that emerged from Leaving Neverland.

Director Dan Reed has continued to defend the documentary, telling The Independent that he approached the project "with all the scepticism and rigour that I would approach a story about a terrorist attack".

"When children are sexually abused they can form a deep attachment to the abuser," he said, explaining why Robson and Safechuck might previously have defended Jackson against accusations of abuse. "They often don't tell the parents, and the abuse often only comes to light when the victims are in their thirties and have their own families."