The reigning queen of pop paid her respects to the late King of Pop Saturday night with a musical tribute to the star.

Madonna performed in the O2 in London, the same arena where Michael Jackson was set to stage his “This is it” tour on July 13.

As Madonna sang “Holiday” during her “Sticky and Sweet” tour, a Michael Jackson impersonator took the stage, sporting a sequin-embellished jacket, a Jackson-esque white glove, white socks and a white t-shirt. An image of Jackson as a child appeared in the background.

The impersonator then danced to Jackson’s “Wanna Be Starting Something” and even took on the music legend’s iconic moonwalk.

After Madonna shouted “Let’s give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known,” the pop star and her dancers wore jeweled gloves on their right hands to honor Jackson in their last dance.

Madonna wasn’t the only mega-star that paid tribute to Jackson since his death. U2 gave respects to the musical prodigy at their opening concert in Barcelona when they sang “Angel of Harlem”. Bono threw in some lyrics to some of Jackson’s greatest hits.

Not even the powers of the invisi-cloak could save Rupert Grint from catching the dreaded swine flu.

The Harry Potter star who plays Harry’s best friend Ron Weasley in the film series is recovering from a mild case of the illness, according to BBC.

The wizard-in-training’s publicist told the network that the actor has returned to work on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—the film based on the last book in JK Rowling’s popular fantasy series.

Grint’s doctor confirmed that the 20-year-old thesp was no longer contagious. The Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is back in session.

Some women work out to nab a man. But Beyoncé stays in shape because of her Oscar dream—and her need to wear skinny jeans.

Jay-Z’s wifey showed her helping hand and a superhot bod at Hamburger Helper’s hunger relief initiative at Madison Square Garden.

The black-and-white palette was right in tune with her new music video and we like the natural curls way better than the severely straight hair she sported in her charity commercial. Here’s how you can get B’s dangerously lovely look for under 65 bucks!

Michael Jackson is clearly the international star in death that he was in life — the memorial lottery is now open to the world.

Initially, only U.S.residents qualified for the ticket drawing to score seats for Tuesday’s Staples Center memorial.

But now the folks putting it together have decided to open up registration to all earthly beings, saying, “Additional legal terms have been incorporated into the conditions of entry to allow non-U.S. residents the opportunity to register for the random ticket drawing.”

Law enforcement sources have reportedly recovered a potent anesthetic from inside Michael Jackson’s Holmby Hills home.

Propofol, which is generally used for surgeries and clinical procedures, was one of many drugs uncovered at the home, according to the Los Angeles Times.

It is commonly referred to as Diprivan and is administered by IV for anesthesia. In as little as 40 seconds, the drug can cause the patient to experience hypnosis, the publication noted.

Officials have confirmed to E! News that prescription drugs were found in the home, but declined to specify exactly what they were. The DEA has joined the investigation.

Earlier this week, former Jackson nutritionist Cherilyn Lee claimed that she warned the entertainer about taking certain drugs, just five days before his death. She claimed Jackson said he was struggling with insomnia and virtually begged her to give him Diprivan.

Jessica Alba and a friend tested out mattresses on a shopping trip in LA on Wednesday. She also decided to try out a lighter hair color perhaps getting into the Summer spirit.

This isn’t the first time she’s gone brighter, but what do you think — do you like her better as a blonde or a brunette?

While the temperatures are rising this long Fourth of July weekend, it will give Jess a chance to show off her hot bikini body along with her new look.

After a few weeks of hard work on the set of How Do You Know? Reese Witherspoon treated herself to a shopping trip in LA yesterday.

She headed back to her car with a few new bags of goodies — shop her look here.

Perhaps she stocked up for some Fourth of July fun this weekend whether she spends it on Martha’s Vineyard with Jake, home in California, or at one of the other glamorous spots across the US

His name was mud after he got caught fabricating his Oprah-raved “memoir,” A Million Little Pieces.

But now James Frey’s reputation, or at least his bank account, is getting transformed by roboto-destructo maestro Michael Bay.

That’s because the Transformers director and DreamWorks reportedly just purchased film rights to Frey’s I Am Number Four, the first book in Frey’s projected six-volume sci-fi series.

After Robert Pattinson confirmed he was signed on for the fourth Twilight installment, Breaking Dawn, back in Cannes, we’ve all been dying for more juicy deets on the hypersexualized film. (More on exactly how much naughtier the flick will be, next week.)

Yes, we know we’re getting overeager since the script for the third flick, Eclipse, which starts shooting Aug. 17, hasn’t even been finished yet.

“I haven’t seen a page,” exclaimed Ashley Greene, who’s heading back up to Vancouver to shoot the third Twi flick this summer.

Even though we’re getting a tad ahead of ourselves, we tried to pry any dirt out of Ashley and Billy Burke last weekend on what’s in store for the final movie.

We’ve learned who’s getting what in Michael Jackson’s trust. Here’s how it breaks down.

Katherine Jackson will get 40% of the assets.
Michael’s 3 kids will get another 40%.

And the remaining 20% goes to several children’s charities. We’re told the charities have not been designated yet and are not specified in the trust.We’ve also learned the California Attorney General is filing legal papers right now in the probate case — the docs relate to the charitable gifts. The A.G. regulates charities in California.

A lawyer for the A.G.’s office will be in court at the next hearing.

A $25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold plated, custom casket has been ordered for Michael Jackson.

The casket — ordered last night from Batesville Casket Company — is called a Promethean and will feature a flame blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish.This is the same casket used to bury James Brown… and is extremely rare.

Weren’t the Jackson family Jehovah’s Witnesses? How will that affect the funeral?
—Bet

Other fans are asking me similar questions, but instead wondering whether Michael Jackson’s funeral may be Muslim. See, in 2007, his brother Jermaine Jackson told the media that Michael had shown interest in the religion, and there was brief speculation that Jackson converted from Jehovah’s Witness to Islam.

Now, we know this: (a) There will be no memorial service at Neverland, (b) there might be some kind of Jackson-related event on Tuesday at the Staples Center, (c) his body is waiting at Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles, and (d) there are signs of a private family service on Sunday, possibly the funeral.

However, of the two religions mentioned above, if the funeral is religious at all, it will probably swing toward…

Legal documents have been filed asking a judge to hold a reporter in the Chris Brown case in contempt of court.

According to docs filed with the court, Russell Alan Wetanson runs a website that posted video of interviews in the hallway outside the courtroom where Chris Brown pled guilty to felony assault — court rules prohibit such taping.Wetanson, who is a lawyer, was notified by the public information officer of the court of the violation and the videos were removed from his website.

But now a contempt hearing could be set, which raises the possibility that Wetanson could be sent to the pokey.

Everyone knows that Rihanna is a tattoo trendsetter.

Just ask Lindsay Lohan and Lily Allen. (Or on second thought, don’t.)

But last night three lucky people at New York City’s East Side Ink got brand-new tattoos inked by the “Umbrella” singer herself.

“She came by to hang out with us and her regular tattoo artist Bang Bang,” says East Side Ink owner Yadira. “He decided he wanted to get a tattoo from her and then two of the other artists decided they wanted to get one as well.”

Riri gave her buddy and the other artists one of her signature signs.

“She tattooed us for a change,” says Yadira. “It’s a little umbrella with a capital “R” underneath it. The second and third had a number two and a number three next to it.”

But according to the NYC Health Department, tattooing without a license is illegal.

“Only licensed tattoo artists can administer tattoos in the city according to the City’s Health Code,” says spokesperson Erin Brady.

Still, Yadria says what it’s only illegal if she is making a profit. And as for Rihanna facing any legal drama, an NYPD spokeswoman tells E! “Someone would have to make a complaint. There’s been none that we know of.”

Who would complain? Most people—and probably even Lindsay—would love such a unique souvenir.

Check out the other inked-up stars in our Celebrity Tattoos gallery.

Lindsay Lohan did a little shopping in LA on Friday before packing her bikinis and heading to Vegas.

She joined friends at the MGM Grand hotel on Saturday for a poolside birthday bash, which also served as a promotional event for her Sevin Nyne products.

LL struck a few poses in a variety of swimsuits throughout the day.

Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning were in full costume once again on the The Runaways set in LA yesterday.

Kristen rocked out in leather while Dakota bared her stomach in a more feminine outfit.

You guys are curious about rumors that Kristen’s jealous of Robert Pattinson and Emilie De Ravin over in NYC but for now she’s focusing on her work with Dakota and new costars of her own.

Taking time out from huddling with his family about preparations for Michael Jackson’s funeral and the ongoing care of his children, father Joe Jackson turned up at Sunday’s BET Awards and addressed his son’s shocking death.

The Jackson patriarch, who walked the carpet with his attorney, told E! News that he wished Michael could’ve seen the tribute that BET had in store that night.

“This should’ve happened when he was living because he was that kind of a star,” the elder Jackson said.

He asked that people remember that his son “was the greatest star in the world” and that the late musician deserved all of the recognition.

Asked about the events surrounding Michael’s death, he told CNN, “I have a lot of concerns but I can’t get into that…I don’t like what happened.”

After the show kicked off and Ne-Yo performed Michael Jackson’s “Lady in My Life,” the camera panned to Joe Jackson, who began shedding tears.

Check out highlights from the show in our 2009 BET Awards gallery.

Hours after proclaiming Dr. Conrad Murray is nothing more than a witness to Michael Jackson’s death, the physician’s attorney is now insisting that the doctor did not give or prescribe the pop icon Demerol or Oxycontin.

The Los Angeles police were told that the music legend was given an injection of Demerol just an hour before his death. That led to speculation that Murray was somehow involved, as he was on the scene at the time of Jackson’s death on Thursday.

But on Sunday, Murray’s attorney, Edward M. Chernoff, said that any other drugs that were prescribed to the King of Pop were the result of a specific complaint.

The Houston lawyer also said that Murray found Jackson unconscious in his bedroom—he wasn’t breathing and had a faint pulse. It was at that point that the cardiologist began to perform CPR. (The events were chillingly recorded in the 911 call.)

Police investigators met with Murray for about three hours Saturday night to review “inconsistencies” in his original testimony, per a police spokeswoman. The LAPD said Murray was “cooperative.”

In a statement, Chernoff’s law firm said, “Investigators have made it clear…that Dr. Murray is considered to be a witness to the events surrounding Michael Jackson’s death, and he is not a suspect.

Michael Jackson’s death from a cardiac arrest was probably the result of drug abuse, said a family lawyer who claimed the star was addicted to painkilling medication.

Paramedics were called to Jackson’s Los Angeles home just after noon on Thursday. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Centre where doctors battled in vain for an hour to save his life. He was pronounced dead at 2.26pm, with family members at his bedside.

The night before his death he had been in rehearsals for his 50-date London comeback tour.

Brian Oxman, the family’s lawyer and long-time friend, said Jackson’s family had long been concerned about his use of prescription drugs and blamed “enablers” in his entourage for making the situation worse.

There were reports that the 50-year-old singer had been given a painkilling injection shortly before his death.

Mr Oxman likened Jackson’s demise to the drug-related death of Anna Nicole Smith, the former Playboy model, and said it came as no surprise to those close to the singer.

His family believed his reliance on painkillers had become “extensive” as he struggled with injuries during rehearsals.

“This is a case of abuse of medications,” Mr Oxman said. “This is not something which had been unexpected. Because of the medication that Michael was taking, his family had been trying for months and months and months to take care of Michael Jackson.

“The people who have surrounded him have been enabling him. If you think the case of Anna Nicole Smith was an abuse, it was nothing in comparison to what we have seen taking place in Michael Jackson’s life.”

Mr Oxman told CNN: “Michael had appeared at rehearsals a couple of time, he was very seriously trying to be able to do this. His use of medication had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing - where he had broken a vertebrae and had broken his leg from a fall from the stage - had gotten in the way.

“I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking, but the reports that we have been receiving in the family is that it was extensive and this is something which I feared and something which I warned about.

“I don’t know the cause of all this so I can’t tell you what the ultimate result of it is going to be, but I can tell you for sure when you warn people that this is what’s going to happen and then it happens, where there is smoke there is fire.”

Drug use can cause cardiac arrest and Jackson had a long-standing reliance on painkillers. There were reports that the singer was taking Demerol, a powerful medication similiar to morphine, and the opiate Dilaudid. Toxicology tests will be carried out on his body and an autopsy is likely to be undertaken today. His body was flown to the coroner’s office by helicopter.

News of Jackson’s death was confirmed by his brother, Jermaine, who gave a press conference at the hospital.

He said: “My brother, the legendary King of Pop, passed away on Thursday June 25 at 2.26pm. We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy are known. The personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitated him.”

Stars from the world of showbusiness and politics united in tribute to the star who revolutionised pop music with albums such as Thriller, but whose later years were tainted by allegations of child abuse.

Sir Paul McCartney, who dueted with Jackson in the early 1980s on Say Say Say, said : “It’s so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.”

Madonna said: “I can’t stop crying over the sad news. I’ve always admired Michael Jackson – the world has lost one of its greats but his music will live on forever.

“My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Jackson, saying: “This is very sad news for the millions of Michael Jackson fans in Britain and around the world.”

Britney Spears said: “I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!”

The Rev Al Sharpton, the civil rights campaigner, described Jackson as a “historic figure”, saying: “Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of colour way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama.”

He added: “Many ridiculed him. It’s amazing to see how many people are now praising him that wouldn’t go near him in the last several years, and condemnde him. In our last conversation a couple of months ago when I was teasing him I was coming to England to see him perform again, he talked about how many people had let him down. I told him it didn’t matter, he had never let the fans down. ”

Quincy Jones, the music producer who worked with Jackson on Thriller, said: “I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news.”

Paying tribute to the singer’s “talent, grace, professionalism and dedication”, he added: “I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.”

There was speculation that the pressure of his forthcoming London dates may have been too much for Jackson.

AEG Live, which organised the concerts at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, said Jackson had passed a lengthy physical exam in early 2009, but he last toured 12 years ago and looked markedly frail at the press conference to promote the shows.

Fears for his health emerged after he postponed the earliest dates, and his aides were forced to deny that he was fighting skin cancer.

Max Clifford, the publicist and friend of Jackson, said: “You wonder if the strain of getting fit for this major tour proved too much. In recent pictures he looked anything but healthy. He was always someone who seemed to find it difficult to cope with fame.”

Another friend of Jackson, the illusionist Uri Geller, said there had been no indication that the singer was in a frail condition.

“I really have no words. He was a young and terribly fit man and he was getting ready for performances in England. He was just fine, the last I heard.”

Jackson lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges including child molestation and kidnap.

He repeatedly denied undergoing cosmetic surgery, despite very visible changes to his face and skin tone, and was criticised for forcing his children to wear veils whenever they were in public.

Born in 1958, Jackson made his musical debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five before embarking on a solo career.

His 1982 album Thriller – which included the hits Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller – is still the best-selling album of all time, with more than 26 million copies sold. His lifetime sales tally is estimated at 750? million.

In 1994, he married Lisa Marie Presley, the 26-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley. The couple separated two years later and Jackson later married Debbie Rowe, a 37-year-old nurse he met while undergoing plastic surgery in 1997. They had two children, Prince Michael and Paris Michael Katherine, before divorcing in 1999.

Jackson had custody of the two children and of a third, Prince Michael II, whose mother’s name has never been made public.

The crowns fit: Michael Jackson was the King of Pop; Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Both men commanded the pop-culture landscape, as much as the charts. Both men influenced their industry, as well as scores of artists.

And both men died suddenly and barely into middle age.

Jackson, whose landmark Thriller broke records and racial divides, whose smooth moves revolutionized dance as much as pop, and whose penchant for headline-making helped burnish his brand, and, following child-abuse allegations, helped tarnish it as well, died today after being found unconscious at his Los Angeles-area home.

Jackson suffered cardiac arrest around noon, according to father Joe Jackson, and never recovered. He was prounced dead at 2:26 p.m., officials said.

Music’s eternal Peter Pan was 50. In the end, the King of Pop outlived Presley, whose daughter Lisa Marie Presley Jackson would wed, by just eight years.