A silver BMW is taken from Michael Jackson’s rented home in LA Photo: AP

Los Angeles County Coroner spokesman Craig Harvey and Michael Jackson

Coroner Investigator Jerry McKibben said Jackson’s body was released by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office on Friday night. No funeral plans have yet been announced and a funeral will not take place until a death certificate has been issued.

Jackson, who collapsed at his rented home in Los Angeles, appeared to have suffered a heart attack, a source told The Associated Press.

The coroner’s office, which has completed its autopsy, says there were no signs of foul play or trauma, but determining the cause of death will require further tests that could take six to eight weeks.

Meanwhile it was revealed that Jackson’s personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, was on the payroll of the concert promoters staging the singer’s 50 date residency at London’s O2 Arena, which was due to start next month.

Jackson insisted that Dr Murray accompany him to London, according to promoters AEG Live.

AEG Live President and Chief Executive Randy Phillips said: "As a company, we would have preferred not having a physician on staff full-time because it would have been cheaper without the hotels and travel, but Michael was insistent that he be hired.

"Michael said he had a rapport with him."

Coroner’s spokesman Craig Harvey said: "The cause of death has been deferred, which means the medical examiner wants additional tests, such as toxicology and other studies."

Mr Harvey said there were no signs of foul play or external trauma to the 50 year old singer’s body.

He refused to comment on any drugs found in Jackson’s body until the completion of the drugs tests which can take up to six weeks to complete.

But Mr Harvey did say the coroner was aware Jackson was taking some prescription medication.

"There was no external trauma or foul play," said Mr Harvey at a press conference outside the County Coroner’s office in Boyle City, Los Angeles. "We knew he was taking some prescription medication."

His comments came as police in Los Angeles were preparing to interview a doctor to establish whether Jackson took a strong pain relieving drug shortly before he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Detectives confirmed their intention to question a doctor who was in the singers house when he fell ill, amid reports that Jackson was already dead by the time paramedics arrived on the scene on Thursday.

Reports in the US suggested Jackson had stopped breathing after taking an injection of the prescription drug Demerol, a commercial name for pethidine, which can cause cardiac arrest if too large a dose is given.

A BMW car belonging to the doctor was one of two vehicles towed away from Jackson’s rented house.

The Jackson family’s lawyer said he believed "over medication" may have been to blame for the pop legend’s death at the age of 50, adding that he was prepared to "name names" of those who allegedly "enabled" his drug use if a post mortem examination showed that drugs had brought on the heart attack.

Police are treating Jackson’s home as a potential crime scene, sealing off the room in which he collapsed.