Superfan who changed his name in tribute to Michael Jackson now wants to change it back

A Michael Jackson superfan who changed his name as a tribute to his idol is now raising money to reverse the decision in the wake of the Leaving Neverland documentary.

John Lomas legally changed his name to John Michael Jackson in 2015 in recognition of his love for the Thriller singer.

The 38-year-old father of three, from Malvern in the West Midlands, has now revealed he is seeking to change his name back with the help of a crowdfunding scheme.

Read more: Six indisputable facts about Jackson’s alleged abuse

A GoFundMe page with a £120 goal has been set up in order to help John remove the pop singer’s name from his own.

In the page’s description, he writes: “I used to be a fan of Michael Jackson and, having Asperger’s, I do tend to have special interests in certain things. I made the unwise decision to change my name back in 2015.

“Given the new evidence that’s come to light on the TV and media recently, I no longer wish to carry this name with me.”

The two-part documentary Leaving Neverland, which recently aired on HBO in the USA and on Channel 4 in the UK, featured two men who alleged they were victims of child sexual abuse carried out by Jackson.

Fallout from the documentary has led to renewed scrutiny of the singer, who died in 2009 at the age of 50 – just weeks before the start of his farewell tour.

Read more: Five things missing from Leaving Neverland

John added: “Wanting to work in care, [the name] will cause me problems in my near future.

“I have spoken to solicitors who advise me that reversing my change of name deed is not possible and I will have to pay £120 to change my name back. This, I can’t afford.

“I know it’s a big ask, but I can’t live comfortably carrying this name any more. I would appreciate any help anyone could give me.”

Read more: Leaving Neverland director hopes for sequel

Members of Jackson’s family have spoken out against Leaving Neverland, with his estate tweeting concert footage during the documentary’s initial airing.