Michael Jackson’s chimpanzee Bubbles has just turned 42 years old and is still going strong. The chimp was purchased from a research facility in Texas by the King of Pop in the 80s after his birth in 1983, and travelled the world with the Bad hitmaker for years. The pair even took tea together with the mayor of Osaka in Japan during Jackson’s Bad World Tour.

Born in Austin, Texas and bred for animal testing, Bubbles was around eight months old when he was adopted by Jackson and moved into his family home at Encino, Los Angeles. In 1988, he was moved again to Michael’s home, Neverland Ranch, where he slept in a baby’s cot in the singer’s bedroom. Bubbles’ life was an enigma to many. He would wear nappies, ate at the dining table with the rest of the family, and even used Michael Jackson’s toilet. The singer apparently even managed to teach the chimp how to moonwalk.

Bubbles would be dressed up in human clothes, making a cameo in Jackson’s Liberian Girl music video and was present while his adoptive dad recorded a duet with Freddie Mercury.

Things went downhill, however, as Bubbles aged. By 2003 he was unsuitable to be kept as a pet and was sent to an animal trainer – but in 2005 he had to be moved to a Florida great ape sanctuary, and has lived at the Wauchula Centre for Great Apes since then.

Jackson feared Bubbles would attack his newborn son Prince – but after his birth he went on to buy two more chimps, Max and Action. Housekeepers reported Bubbles would hurl faeces at the bedroom wall, while another member of staff described him ripping his nappy off and crawling into Michael’s bed.

Now Bubbles is 42, and is considered “artistic, gentle and shy” by workers at the sanctuary. In 2009 he was said to be spending most of his time sitting quietly in trees along with another chimp, Sam. Jackson’s estate continues to support his care.

Weighing in at 84kg, Bubbles is now said to be “huge and ugly” – but the official sanctuary website disagrees, stating: “Despite the fact that he is very photogenic, Bubbles is difficult to photograph because he does not like the camera. He often will turn his back when he sees a camera.”

It adds: “Bubbles will occasionally spit water or throw sand (with amazing accuracy) at strangers, just to see how they react. As a physically imposing 185-pound, 4½-foot adult male, Bubbles is now treated as the dominant male in his group of chimpanzees that includes his best friends, Ripley and Oopsie, as well as Boma and Jessie.

“Bubbles enjoys quiet moments and painting. He gives the canvas back only when he is finished and does not limit his painting to the canvas!”