Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe were married from 1996 to 1999

But Debbie Rowe denied being forced to praise him or read a script in the 2003 video, which Mr Jackson produced in response to claims in a TV documentary.

Mr Jackson and Ms Rowe were married from 1996 to 1999 and she is the mother of two of his children.

She wiped away tears during 35 minutes of evidence in California on Wednesday.

Her testimony will resume on Thursday. Mr Jackson denies plying a 13-year-old-boy with alcohol and sexually abusing him.

Ms Rowe revealed she never shared a home with her husband

The allegations came to light after a documentary by British journalist Martin Bashir, in which the singer admitted sharing a bed with a child.

Mr Jackson made his own video to answer the controversy - and asked Ms Rowe to take part, she told the court in Santa Maria.

"He told me there was a video coming out and it was full of lies and would I help? And I said 'yes, as always'," she said.

In a nine-hour interview, she said her former husband was "a wonderful man" and a model parent. Clips were shown on TV in February 2003.

But she admitted some of her answers, including those about his parenting, were dishonest. The trial was adjourned before she could go into more detail.

The interview was not scripted and she declined an offer to look at questions beforehand, she told jurors.

'My friend'

"It was a cold interview and I wanted to keep it that way."

Before that, the pair had not spoken since 1999 and she signed away her parental rights in 2001.

Ms Rowe stopped short of telling the court she made a deal to be interviewed in exchange for seeing her children, Prince Michael and Paris.

But, fighting back tears, she said she hoped she would be "reintroduced to them and to be reacquainted with their dad".

Ms Rowe met the star when she worked as a dermatologist's nurse

Asked why she wanted to be reacquainted with Mr Jackson, she looked at the singer and said: "He's my friend."

When earlier asked to state her name, she identified herself as Deborah Rowe-Jackson - but said she preferred to be known as Ms Rowe.

She also revealed the couple "never shared a home" during their marriage and, when they divorced, she was granted eight hours every 45 days with her children.

"The visitations were not comfortable," she said.

"We were hooked up at a hotel. When I would bring things to do, like fingerpaints or colouring, the nanny was always very concerned they would get dirty."

Ms Rowe met Mr Jackson while working as a nurse in the office of the pop star's dermatologist.

Mr Jackson had a third child, Prince Michael II, with an unknown woman in 2002.

'Can of worms'

On Monday, Judge Rodney Melville said he would limit Ms Rowe's evidence after warnings from the defence team that it could open "a huge can of worms".

She is likely to be one of the last witnesses called by the prosecution against the pop star.

The defence team is expected to call on a host of celebrities to testify to the singer's good character and innocent love of children.

The stars could include actresses Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor and singers Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross, as well as former child star Macaulay Culkin.