What's the story?
Searching for Michael Jackson's Zoo with Ross Kemp.
I'll need more information.
A new ITV documentary sets out to investigate the fate of the animals that were once owned by pop star Michael Jackson.
The zoo at the singer's Neverland ranch in California housed at least 50 different species, among them giraffes, elephants and tigers. Their whereabouts have been largely unknown since Jackson's death in 2009.
Some background, please?
According to presenter Ross Kemp: "A rich star's plaything and status symbol, Michael Jackson's zoo inspired a worldwide boom in the private ownership of exotic animals."
Kemp embarks upon a journey "into the strange world of America's private zoos and menageries and the often-cruel trade that supplies them" as he seeks to unearth the truth about where Jackson's former pets ended up.
What does he discover?
One of Jackson's most famous companions was the chimpanzee, Bubbles, and by speaking to primatologist Jane Goodall, Kemp learns what happened next.
READ MORE: Susan Swarbrick: Saying goodbye is never easy but all good TV comes to an end
Disturbingly, he hears about the premature deaths of several animals at Neverland, and as the programme criss-crosses the US in search of answers, it becomes apparent that the outcome for many of Jackson’s former pets is shrouded in mystery, scandal or tragedy.
When can I watch?
Searching for Michael Jackson's Zoo with Ross Kemp is on STV, Wednesday, 9pm.
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