Joseph Fiennes has defended his axed portrayal of Michael Jackson and still wishes that audiences could see it.

Sky Arts pulled the episode of the Urban Myths series after the pop superstar’s daughter Paris Jackson said clips of the show made her want to “vomit”.

It was to depict a fabled road trip her father, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor were rumoured to have taken from New York to Los Angeles following the September 11 terror attacks.

The British actor, 46, told the Vulture website that the performance was humorous and satirical.

It sparked some anger because a white man was cast to play the role of Jackson, who died in 2009 aged 50

He said: “Well, it’s a satire, so we have to look at it through that lens. The depiction of the three characters is very satirical, comic, light-hearted, to examine the disconnect of iconic celebrity.”

It sparked some anger because a white man was cast to play the role of Jackson, who died in 2009 aged 50, with some alleging the portrayal was a form of “blackface”.

In the interview published on Thursday, Fiennes said: “If it comes anywhere near that criminal and hateful sensibility, then I’m deeply regretful and embarrassed, but there’s a part of me that would love people to see it and get into a discussion.”

The teenage Jackson celebrated the axing of the episode in January after Sky Arts listened to the family’s concerns.