Michael Jackson

It was billed as a comeback - but Michael Jackson's first UK stage appearance in nine years fell flat. The crowned King Of Pop was set to perform his famous 1982 graveyard hit ?Thriller? at the World Music Awards, but instead he joined a group of youngsters on stage to sing only a few lines of ?We Are The World.? Young R&B star Chris Brown ended up performing the big hit as a tribute to Jackson.

Before Jackson sang on stage, the Beat It star picked up a Diamond Award from US singer Beyonce. He gave a lengthy thank you speech to his fans all over the world. "I dedicate this to the so many that have loved me and stayed by me throughout these years in the entertainment business," he said. "While I cannot meet all of them I would like to thanks my wonderful children, Paris, Prince and Blanket for their unconditional love and support and my mother and my father, my brothers and sisters, my entire family for their love and support.?

He said that when he began making the Thriller album "it was my dream that Thriller would become the biggest-selling album ever".

While presenting the award, Beyonce said: "If it wasn't for Michael Jackson I would have ever performed. He's made such a big impact on my life and on every performer's life.

Jackson, who has rarely been seen in public since he was acquitted of child abuse charges last year, touched his heart and blew kisses to the crowd as they stamped their feet in anticipation of what would in fact turn out to be a disappointing performance. Jackson, who was supposed to sing ?Thriller,? instead performed chorus line from ?We Are The World? to a booing crowd, in which he struggled to hit the high notes.

Organizers of the annual World Music Awards were also criticized for a chaotic evening. Besides sound problems during Jackson's performance, around half the winners of main awards did not show up to receive them, hostess Lindsay Lohan made only a few short-lived remarks and there were long waits between each performance.

The 18th World Music Awards - held in Britain for the first time ? also featured performances from Beyonce, Rihanna and Nelly Furtado.