Move Like Michael Jackson
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| camera = Multi-Camera
| runtime = Various lengths
| developer = BBC
| presenter = Reggie Yates
| producer = Fever Media
| judges = Jermaine Jackson
Jamelia
Mark Summers
| country = United Kingdom
| network = BBC Three
| first_aired = {{start date|2009|12|14|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2009|12|21|df=y}}
| num_series = 1
| num_episodes = 6
| company = Fever Media
Gogglebox Entertainment
}}
Move Like Michael Jackson is a British talent show made by independent production company Fever Media and Gogglebox Entertainment and broadcast on BBC Three. It aimed to find people who can dance like the pop singer Michael Jackson. The show aired months after Jackson's death in June 2009. Presented by television personality Reggie Yates, the programme broadcast the auditions of hopefuls as they perform in front of the show's judges: Mark Summers, contemporary R&B singer Jamelia, and Jackson's elder brother and former Jackson 5 band member Jermaine.{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv-entertainment/tv/todays-tv/2009/12/14/move-like-michael-jackson-bbc3-8-30pm-115875-21895464/|title=Move Like Michael Jackson|last=Simon|first=Jane|date=14 December 2009|work=Daily Mirror|access-date=14 December 2009}}
Background and production
Entertainer Michael Jackson died in June 2009, in his home in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/michael-jackson-s-life-cut-shockingly-short-wbna31552029|title=Singer Michael Jackson dead at 50-Legendary pop star had been preparing for London comeback tour|publisher=Today.com|date=25 June 2009|access-date=25 June 2009}} He was regarded as one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century, and popularized several dance moves, including the moonwalk and robot.{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6507076.html|title=The steps that made Michael Jackson great|last=Glentzer|first=Molly|date=1 July 2009|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=20 December 2009}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5649814/Michael-Jackson-100-facts-about-the-king-of-pop.html|title=Michael Jackson: 100 facts about the king of pop|date=26 June 2009|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=20 December 2009}} Jackson adapted choreography from figures such as Michael Peters and Jeffrey Daniel and used them his music videos.
In creating the six-part series, the producers stated that they were aiming to find individuals "with the showmanship and technical ability of [Jackson]". Jermaine Jackson was drafted to judge the show,{{citation needed|reason=No sources found for this.|date=March 2016}} and said of his younger sibling at the time of production, "[He] inspired people across the world to master his moves and create their own unique routines." He added that he was "really excited and delighted" to be a part of the series and looked forward "to finding the UK's most talented and inspiring dancers".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8286383.stm|title=Jermaine to judge Jackson search|date=2 October 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=14 December 2009}}{{cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/hollywood/idINTRE5902J220091001|title=Brother Jermaine to judge BBC Michael Jackson show|date=1 October 2009|work=Reuters|access-date=14 December 2009|archive-date=4 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104173652/http://in.reuters.com/article/hollywood/idINTRE5902J220091001|url-status=dead}}
Auditions for the talent show were held in October and were open to any persons aged 16 and over. The Move Like Michael Jackson participants had to learn Jackson's signature dance move, the moonwalk, as well as create new Jackson-inspired dance steps for the series.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-interviews/MJs-bro-Jermaine-to-judge-BBCs-Move-Like-Jacko/articleshow/5075468.cms|title=MJ's bro Jermaine to judge BBC's Move Like Jacko'|date=1 October 2009|work=The Times of India|access-date=14 December 2009}} Karl Warner, executive producer for BBC Entertainment Commissioning, said that the show's production staff wanted to "hear from anyone who's ever been inspired by the moonwalk, the Smooth Criminal lean or the crotch grab and find out if they can move like Michael Jackson."{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Jermaine+judge+Michael+Jackson+show/2060253/story.html|title=Jermaine to judge BBC Michael Jackson show|date=2 October 2009|work=Calgary Herald|access-date=14 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013151746/http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Jermaine+judge+Michael+Jackson+show/2060253/story.html|archive-date=13 October 2009|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{BBC Programme|b00p719p}}
- {{IMDb title|1560582}}
{{Michael Jackson}}
Category:BBC Three original programming
Category:Dance competition television shows
Category:Cultural depictions of Michael Jackson
Category:2009 British television series debuts