Jackson 'had secret girlfriend'

Michael Jackson had a secret long-term girlfriend, according to his former bodyguard Matt Fiddes.

The late popstar's former employee claimed that Jackson insisted on keeping his mystery lover away from the public eye.

"She wasn't a celebrity figure - absolutely not," he told The Sun. "I imagine she is distraught right now."

He added to Sky News: "I'm not going to name who she is but I think the family were aware that there was someone special in his life who he loved and adored and had his ups and downs with."

Fiddes, 30, from Barnstaple, Devon, became friends with the 'Thriller' singer in 1998 when he was introduced by associate Uri Geller.

The martial arts expert argued that if Jackson had not been so secretive about his love life, media speculation about his sexual preferences would not have been so rife.

"He had his own way of dealing with that," said Fiddes. "And that unfortunately gave people the wrong impression."

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