London  - Uri Geller, the performer and friend of Michael Jackson, has said that the late US pop star "killed himself slowly" with drugs supplied by a "string of doctors probably over decades."

Geller, in a BBC radio interview Tuesday, recalled shouting at Jackson over the drugs one night but the pop star replied it was "his private life."

"There was a time that I told Michael that if this continues, he will die. He was killing himself slowly," said Geller.

"The question has to be asked: how come this went on for such a long time? We're not talking about a year; we're talking about probably decades and there were a string of doctors," said Geller.

He said he would like to see the American authorities going back into his past and finding out who supplied all these drugs to Jackson and why.

The remarks followed a US coroner's statement saying that Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anaesthetics propofol in his blood. (dpa)