Michael Jackson 's chimpanzee Bubbles appeared to have lived a great life at Neverland but the reality was rather disturbing.
The Thriller singer splashed out $65,000 on the chimp from an animal trainer in the 1980s, and almost instantly the pair of them became inseparable and were often photographed together.
Bubbles lived an extremely glamorous life for a chimpanzee, travelling with the King of Pop during the 'Bad' world tour and even drinking tea with the mayor of Osaka in Japan, writes The Mirror.
His home was originally the Jackson family home in LA but Bubbles was then moved to live side-by-side with his famous owner at Neverland.
He even slept in a crib in Jackson's room, ate sweets in the cinema and reportedly threw his own poo around the mansion.
However, behind the happy depiction of Bubbles' life with Jackson, there were worrying claims about how he was being mistreated.
The world's top primatologist, Jane Goodall, said she believed Bubbles had been punched in the face and kicked in the stomach whilst living with Jackson.
Furthermore, she claimed that when she tried to talk to the star about it, he flew off the handle.
Speaking in 2014, the expert told TMZ : "I went to see him and we talked about Bubbles. I ticked him off.
"Bubbles is still alive and he’s beautiful. But when he was with Michael he was being beaten."
She didn't name Michael as Bubbles' alleged abuser, but Jack Gordon, the ex-husband of the star's sister La Toya, once claimed he saw Michael attack the defenceless creature.
He said: "I saw Michael punch Bubbles in the face, kick him in the stomach."
The Jackson family has denied the claims that Michael was abusive towards Bubbles.
Speaking in new ITV documentary, Searching for Michael Jackson’s Zoo with Ross Kemp, Goodall claims Bubbles 'was hit across the room' in order to discipline him.
She says Jackson had a smile on his face when she showed him videos of primates in lab cages and circuses.
Telling Ross how she reprimanded Jackson about his treatment of animals, Goodall says: "He looked at me and [asked] ‘you wouldn't approve of a chimp being hit over the head, would you?’ I said, ‘No, Michael, you know I wouldn't.’
"Bubbles was hit when he did something wrong. Michael said that once he was hit across the room. I said, ‘Well, Michael, did you think that was all right?’ And he said, ‘No, not really.’"
Gooddall says her advice was not taken and Bubbles was replaced with an infant chimp, also called Bubbles.
As he grew to 12st, the original Bubbles was said to have become more aggressive, prompting the move to a California trainer in 2003.
There were grave concerns that Bubbles would attack Jackson's newborn son, Prince Michael II, so he was relocated.
"Bubbles is an adult chimp and a wild animal," ranch owner Bob Dunn stated at the time to CNN. "We don't let him out to play."
This didn't stop Jackson buying two more baby chimps, Max and Action, who most of the public believed were Bubbles.
Shortly after the move, Bubbles reportedly tried to kill himself after his master was charged with child-molestation.
According to The Times of India, after the King of Pop was charged, "his favourite pet, a chimpanzee named Bubbles tried to commit suicide."
Bubbles was thankfully saved by medics that December, and no further details about the incident have been made available.
When the trainer closed down in 2004, Bubbles was moved to the Centre for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.
Bubbles has a far more chilled daily routine nowadays, including painting and listening to flute music.
His appearance has changed drastically since his time living with Jackson - with his facial features becoming flatter and his size increasing greatly.
Keepers at the centre said the 160-pound brute was "huge and ugly" but has a very "sweet character".
It was also claimed the chimp self-harmed after learning of Jackson's death from a prescription drug-induced overdose in 2009.
However, the Centre For Great Apes founder, Patti Ragan, denied the claims, insisting Bubbles has never been told about Michael's death and wouldn't understand anyway.
"Bubbles definitely missed [Jackson] when they parted and will miss him now," animal trainer Dunn told the News of the World.
"Chimpanzees are intelligent. They remember people and stuff. Bubbles and Michael were close friends and playmates.
"The last time Michael visited, Bubbles definitely recognised and remembered him."
La Toya Jackson broke down in tears as she came face to face with Bubbles the chimp for the first time in 20 years during a visit in 2010.
Bubbles is now aged 39 and is still enjoying his time at the Florida ape centre.
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