MICHAEL JACKSON's physician/manager DR. TOHME TOHME persuaded the star to drop plans to stage a six-month residency in Las Vegas - for the good of his children.
The late superstar considered signing up for a mammoth run in Sin City next year (10), which would have made him $100 million (£66.6 million).
Tohme admits he talked Jackson out of the move and urged him to agree to a series of comeback concerts in London instead - because he feared the star's three children would have suffered if they spent six months in Las Vegas.
He says, "We put a stage in his house in Vegas because before he was practising in the local hotels. He was writing music, working with choreographers. And after we started talking to (concert promoters) AEG for the London gigs, I decided Vegas was not the right place for Michael to stay at the time, especially for the children... it is very hot in the summer. The we signed the deal with AEG and we went to London." Jackson was due to kick off his run of 50 This Is It concerts in the British capital on 13 July (09).