Michael Jackson’s father Joe is in hospital and ‘doesn’t have long’

Joe Jackson, the father of late pop legend Michael Jackson, has been admitted to hospital with his family confirming that The Jackson 5 founder “doesn’t have long” left.

The 89-year-old is believed to have been admitted to hospital last week, suffering from an unconfirmed terminal illness, and his son Jermaine Jackson has since confirmed that his father is “very frail”.

Jermaine, 63, told the Daily Mail: “He’s very very frail, he doesn’t have long. The family needs to be by his bedside – that’s our only intention in his final days.”

The talent manager is thought to have been ill for several months, before taking a turn for the worse in the past week. However, despite his days being seemingly numbered, Joe’s handlers initially blocked any family members from visiting the patriarch in hospital.

Read more: 1970: The remarkable year The Jackson 5 won the world’s heart.

Jermaine added: “No one knew what was going on – we shouldn’t have to beg, plead, and argue to see our own father, especially at a time like this.

“We have been hurting. We were not being told where he was and couldn’t get the full picture. Even from the doctor. My mother was worried sick.”

https://twitter.com/jermjackson5/status/1009902382275166208

Joe orchestrated his children’s rise to fame as The Jackson 5, comprising Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and of course Michael, as well as helping talented daughters Janet and LaToya launch their own musical careers.

The music manager was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2014, but his public life has also been racked by drama over the years after his children, including Michael, accused him of physical and mental abuse.

Michael, who died of an overdose of the drugs propofol and benzodiazepine after suffering a cardiac arrest in June 2009, had a troubled relationship with his notoriously strict father, leading him to cut Joe out of his will and stipulate that his mother Katherine should be granted custody of his three children, Paris, Prince Michael and Blanket.

Read more: Michael Jackson’s son’s artistic tribute to his father.

In 2010, during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Joe publicly admitted the beatings, but said he “didn’t regret” his actions. He told the host:  “I don’t [regret the beatings]. It kept them out of jail and kept them right.

“I don’t think he [Michael] was afraid of me. What he was afraid of, he may do something wrong and I’d chastise him but not beat him. I never beat him like the media tried to say.”

What do you think? Were you a fan of The Jackson 5?