Jacko Playing First Shows Since 2001

Michael Jackson will make a live comeback when he plays 10 shows at London, England's O2 Arena this summer, and he's prompted rumours he may retire shortly thereafter.

Jackson announced the gigs, which are slated to begin on July 8, at a press conference at the London arena today (Thursday). Jackson fueled rumours that he will retire soon after the shows, which he called his "curtain call."

"Thank you all... this is it," Jackson said.

"These will be my final shows... performances in London. When I say this is it, I mean this is it. I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is it, this is really it, this is the final curtain call."

Posters advertising a stint of 10 Jackson gigs at the arena went up throughout the London Underground system earlier in the day, according to the Times newspaper. The shows will be Jackson's first gigs since 2001. It's not clear whether he'll play any other gigs outside of London.

Jackson, who was acquitted of child molestation charges in 2005, gave up the deed to his Neverland Ranch late last year. Approximately 2,000 items from the ranch are supposed to be auctioned next month, but that plan may have hit a snag now that the performer's lawyers have apparently launched a lawsuit against Julien's Auction House that claims the company isn't "entitled to retain possession of Michael Jackson's personal property," according to World Entertainment News Network.

"As you can imagine we're quite shocked by it because we've been working very closely with Mr. Jackson and his manager over the last eight months," company owner Darren Julien told the British television show GMTV. "We are an auction house — that's all we do — so if he didn't want the items to be sold we don't understand why we were given possession of them in the first place."

The "King Of Pop" has been plagued with legal woes of late. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain sued him last year for breach of contract, and Jackson is being sued by John Landis, the director of his "Thriller" video, who says his royalties have been unpaid for more than four years.

Jackson's health has been the subject of other rumours lately. Canadian journalist Ian Halperin claimed last year that Jackson was suffering from Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, a disorder that depletes protein that protects the liver and lungs. Britain's The Sun tabloid reported last month that Jackson had a skin infection which could turn into a flesh-eating disease.

A source apparently told British tabloid The Daily Mirror that Jackson had to undergo several tests of his health before he got the go-ahead for the London shows.

"Every physical test under the sun was done to ensure all bases were covered," the unnamed person said. "They are confident his health is good enough to perform."