Madonna 'blames Jackson's childhood'

Madonna has suggested that Michael Jackson's childhood was a key factor in his downfall.

The superstar has credited her "normal childhood" for not falling prey to superstardom.

Madonna told The Sun: "Obviously we have very different personalities - he was a lot more shy than I am. That's because I was allowed to have a normal childhood and he wasn't, so there was a vulnerable side to him that made you want to take care of him and protect him.

"He was a real paradox, one of the world's greatest performers and obviously very confident on stage, but in real life he was shy and you really felt for him."