A Michael Jackson friend has insisted he is not the father of the singer’s youngest son, Blanket.

Restaurateur Al Malnik said he laughed when he read reports that he was the dad of the child – because he only met the lad for the first time when he was two years old.

The 76-year-old millionaire Malnik – the godfather to seven-year-old Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket – had been friends with Jacko for more than 10 years.

The singer would often stay with him at his Florida estate during the star’s child abuse scandals.

Malnik said: “Of course, I’m not the biological father. It would be very interesting to realise [I was]. I didn’t meet Blanket until he was two.”

He also described the chances of him being the dad as a “Ripley event” – a reference to the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not franchise, which catalogues bizarre phenomena.

Asked if he planned to have any role in the child’s life, as his godfather, he said “only if I am asked and if it were court-authorised or Jackson family-authorised”.

Malnik also said that Jackson was not addicted to prescription drugs – despite a wealth of claims to the contrary: “Our family was with Michael 24-7 for months at a time.

“If he did take prescription drugs, it was very infrequently. He led a very healthy life and just devoted himself to having a nice time, writing his songs, being with his children and enjoying life.

“The drug problem that he is always accused of having is exaggerated manifold.

“He enjoyed himself so much with his children. It was a magical time for all of us.”