Michael Jackson fans have reacted with shock and anger to the first pictures of Joseph Fiennes as the pop icon in a new show.

The casting of a white actor to play the singer was heavily criticised as the trailer for the satirical comedy, Urban Myths, was released online.

But Fiennes argued that the choice was appropriate as he was playing Jackson later in life, by which point his skin colour had considerably lightened.

At the time of his casting last year, Fiennes said: "I'm a white, middle-class guy from London. I'm as shocked as you may be."

He added that Jackson "definitely had an issue - a pigmentation issue" and that by the end of his life "was probably closer to my colour than his original color."

The half-hour-long programme also stars Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor and Brian Cox as Marlon Brando. It tells the story of a road trip undertaken by the three stars shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Fiennes added: "It's a light comedy look. It's not in any way malicious. It's actually endearing."