The singer will now play a total of twenty shows at the venue, starting on July 8th.

Jackson is now just one date short of matching Prince's 21-night run at the O2 Arena in 2007, which revitalised the musician's career.

Pre-sale tickets for the new dates are available now for fans who received a pre-registration code from organisers.

Demand for the shows, which begin on July 8th, has exceeded expectation, with over a million people registering for the chance to buy tickets.

Organisers are widely expected to announce details of additional dates.

In an email this morning, fans who had failed to secure a registration code were told to “monitor” their emails for a further announcement.

“We are seeking approval to add more shows so all of Michael's fans can be accommodated,” the email said.

(by Jason Gregory)