NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Michael Jackson's bodyguard's stunning new claims over star's death

NZ Herald
16 Sep, 2019 02:54 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Michael's bodyguard has spoken about the toll the claims took. Photo / Getty

Michael's bodyguard has spoken about the toll the claims took. Photo / Getty

More than 10 years since pop star Michael Jackson died, his former bodyguard has lifted the lid on what was the catalyst for the performer's untimely death in 2009.

Matt Fiddes, who worked alongside Jackson for 10 years, says the singer's health rapidly deteriorated after the 2005 trial where it was claimed he molested young boy Gavin Arvizo.

Gavin, who had cancer, first met Jackson when he was 10 in hospital before ending up at Neverland in 2003 when he accused the pop singer of child molestation.

In 2005, Jackson was cleared of all charges, but Fiddes now pins blame on the court case for the pop star's death.

Ahead of the release of counter-documentary Michael Jackson: Chasing The Truth, martial arts expert Fiddes continued to defend his former employer following fresh allegations made in documentary Leaving Neverland by James Safechuck and Wade Robson earlier this year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fiddes said the singer was left a "complete mess" by allegations he was a paedophile, despite being found not guilty.

Matt Fiddes, Michael Jackson's bodyguard. Photo / Instagram
Matt Fiddes, Michael Jackson's bodyguard. Photo / Instagram

The bodyguard believes the star could never shake the suspicion around his behaviour and claims his health deteriorated as a result.

"It was clear after the verdict he was never going to be able to click his fingers and be back in Michael Jackson mode again," Fiddes told the Daily Star.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"He was like a walking deadman by the end. Eating and sleeping was a battle, he was just a complete mess.

"He lost so much weight. It took a big toll on him. But he was adamant he wanted to prove his innocence.

"Michael wanted to get all this rubbish behind him. He struggled, it was awful for him to hear all those things said about him."

Despite being cleared of all charges, Fiddes said Jackson was paranoid someone "was out to get him" and was terrified of being killed.

Discover more

Entertainment

MJ's bodyguard shatters 'mystical illusion' around star

27 Sep 08:19 AM

"He was terrified about being assassinated on stage, and was making silly suggestions about wearing a bulletproof vest while performing," the bodyguard said.

"We talked to him and said the public love you, you are going to have no problems, I am going to here for you with security and making sure you are looked after you."

He said if Jackson had reconnected with his father before his father's death he may still have been alive today.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Michael Shanks' 'Together' mixes horror and comedy with real-life couple

Entertainment
|Updated

'Distressing and offensive': Family of George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso warn against bootleg merch

Entertainment

'Dignified tribute': Ozzy Osbourne's funeral plans revealed


Sponsored

Sponsored: The return of industrial chic

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Opinion: Why Wellington Phoenix's controversial hire is a masterstroke
Bonnie Jansen
OpinionBonnie Jansen

Opinion: Why Wellington Phoenix's controversial hire is a masterstroke

Wet week for NSW as Sydney braces for 100mm downpour
World

Wet week for NSW as Sydney braces for 100mm downpour

Coastal areas warned to expect 'strong and unusual currents' after earthquake off Russian coast
Northern Advocate

Coastal areas warned to expect 'strong and unusual currents' after earthquake off Russian coast

‘Huge’ armed police op in Bay of Plenty town
Bay of Plenty Times

‘Huge’ armed police op in Bay of Plenty town

Mega-quake off Russian coast sparks tsunami warnings across Pacific
World

Mega-quake off Russian coast sparks tsunami warnings across Pacific

NZ joins countries backing Palestinian state in two-State solution
New Zealand

NZ joins countries backing Palestinian state in two-State solution



Latest from Entertainment

Michael Shanks' 'Together' mixes horror and comedy with real-life couple
Entertainment

Michael Shanks' 'Together' mixes horror and comedy with real-life couple

Alison Brie and Dave Franco face commitment fears amid body horror and dark humour.

30 Jul 01:56 AM
'Distressing and offensive': Family of George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso warn against bootleg merch
Entertainment
|Updated

'Distressing and offensive': Family of George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso warn against bootleg merch

30 Jul 12:03 AM
'Dignified tribute': Ozzy Osbourne's funeral plans revealed
Entertainment

'Dignified tribute': Ozzy Osbourne's funeral plans revealed

29 Jul 11:51 PM


Sponsored: The return of industrial chic
Sponsored

Sponsored: The return of industrial chic

28 Jul 07:01 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search