Jackson rehearsals 'were almost complete'

The official photographer documenting Michael Jackson's planned 'This Is It' shows has revealed details of the tour rehearsals.

Kevin Mazur, who first took pictures during the star's 1984 'Victory' shows, described seeing him four days before he died.

"He was happy, he was energetic, he was full of life. Michael was physically fit and performing the same way that I photographed him through the years," he told the BBC.

Mazur claimed that the planned 50-date London residence was like nothing he had seen before.

"I saw them rehearse about a dozen songs. And Michael never stopped. He worked right through. He did 12 songs and he only paused a couple of times to tweak some stuff with the music and a little bit of the choreography," he said.

"They had a screen that ran the full length of the main stage and was maybe about 50 feet high. And, supposedly, I heard they were doing some 3-D things. I've been shooting shows for 25 years and I'd never seen anything like that before."

The photographer confirmed that tour rehearsals had been filmed and could potentially be released by concert promoters AEG.

"I was there to keep a record photographically, and they also had videographers. He's Michael Jackson and, as you know, he documents everything," Mazur added.