“Michael believed in the project so much. He said: ‘I’ll give you the studio
(in Los Angeles) and I’ll pay for all the music’.

“We went to his recording studio at the family house in Encino, where all the
Jacksons grew up and we took about eight or 10 of Burns’s poems and we put
them to contemporary music, things like A Red Red Rose and Ae Fond Kiss and
the story of Tam O’Shanter.”

The songs were originally intended to be part of a musical, directed by Gene
Kelly and produced by actor Anthony Perkins. The death of both men meant it
was never staged.

Mr Gest, a former contestant on the reality show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of
Here released a film on Jackson’s life last year. In 1996, he staged a show
called Red Red Rose, which was based on Burns’s life and starred the actor
John Barrowman.

A spokesman for the National Trust for Scotland, which runs the Ayrshire
museum, said, confirmed Mr Gest was a recent visitor.

“We understand there was some discussion about the donation of some musical
materials. If it goes ahead it will be an exciting addition,” he said.