*Michael Jackson's long-time friend Mark Lester claims to be the father of Paris
*Singer prescribed Depo Provera to curb sex urges for boys
*Paris bears uncanny resemblance to Lester's daughter Harriet
Former child star Mark Lester revealed today that he donated sperm to Michael Jackson and believes he could be the biological father of the late King of Pop's daughter Paris.
The film actor, who shot to fame in the musical Oliver! and was a close friend of Jackson, said: 'I gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids - and I believe Paris is my daughter.'
Jackson may have been unable to use his own sperm following claims that he was taking a 'chemical castration' drug to suppress his sexual urges towards young boys.
Lester said he was speaking out because he feared being cut out of the lives of Jackson's children.
Up until the pop singer's memorial last month, he was in contact with them on a weekly basis, the former child star said.
But since Jackson's mother Katherine had been granted custody of the children, he said all his phone calls and emails had gone unanswered.
'This isn't what Michael would have wanted,' Lester told the paper. I feel I have to come forward, as my only way of saying, "Please don't shut me out!".'
Lester told the News of the World that Jackson first revealed his desperation to be a dad to him in January 1996.
Both were aged 37 and Lester already had three children.
'He realised having kids was a natural thing but that he just couldn't do it,' Lester said.
'I mentioned the fact there are alternative ways of going about it.
'I think he'd already tried using his own sperm but it hadn't worked for him, so I made an off-the-cuff comment saying, 'Try mine!''
Jackson eventually agreed and the donation was arranged through a clinic in Harley Street, London, in February 1996.
Eight months later Jackson announced that he had married nurse Debbie Rowe and three months later the couple revealed the birth of their first child, Prince.
Paris was born just over a year later, in April 1998.
'It's a been a secret for so long,' he said.
'In 1996 Michael asked me if I would give him my sperm and I said yes. It was a gift to him, no money was paid, it was something I was honoured to do. He wanted children so badly.'
Lester, who lives in Cheltenham, added: 'I do feel a definite bonding with Paris and I think there's a definite possibility that she's part of me.
'I want to have contact with her, Prince and Blanket regardless of whether any or all of them are mine. I think it's cruel that I've now been excluded from them.'
The father of four, who played Oliver Twist in the hit 60s musical Oliver!, said the resemblance between his 15-year-old daughter Harriet and Paris has been noted.
'Paris is very pale, with blue eyes. All my daughters, apart from my eldest, are fair with blue eyes. So many people have commented on how alike Harriet and Paris look.'
Dr Alimorad Farshchian prescribed the singer Depo Provera a powerful drug given to sex offenders.
Speaking out for the first time, Lester, 51, said he was willing to take a paternity test to find out the truth.
He is godfather to Paris, 11, and Jackson's two other children, 12-year-old Prince, and Blanket, seven.
Family friends: Mark Lester, his wife Lisa and Michael Jackson at Oliver! with star Rowan Atkinson
-'I'm the daddy': Child star Mark Lester claims he is the father of Paris, left-
-Similarities: Both Paris and Harriet (right) have pale skin with blue eyes
Child stars: Mark Lester shot to fame in the musical Oliver! similar to Jackson, who began performing at the age of five
Grief stricken: Mark Lester and his daughter Harriet, 15, who Michael Jackson was going to invite on stage at his first concer
Uncle Jacko: The singer hugs his goddaughters Harriet and Lucy (right) with their mother Lisa
Daddy's girl: Harriet Lester goes shopping near the Cheltenham home of her father Mark
Uncle Jacko: The singer hugs his goddaughters Harriet and Lucy (right) with their mother Lisa
Jackson's other long-time friend, Uri Geller, backed Lester over his revelation and said he had known 'all along'.
'As a close friend of Mark, I respect his own situation to reveal this information at this time,' he told Sky News.
'I am not surprised, I knew it all along simply because Michael told me.
'Mark has his own reasons, I really have to respect them.'
Geller declined to go into details of exactly what he knew, but said he had spoken to Lester yesterday.
'I am with him on this because of the information he told me,' he added.
'I can imagine the stress everyone is under, especially Mark, but I understand him and really feel for him.
'I just hope that he can weather this trauma... we will have to see how things roll out.'
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-Mark Lester, the godfather of Michael Jackson's children, Prince and Paris, reacts to the news of Michael Jackson's death, as well as the King of Pop's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, who says she is "inconsolable". -
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