The estate of Whitney Houston has publicly contradicted Oprah Winfrey's recollection that the late singer fell off the stage during a 2009 talk show appearance because she was high.
In a statement posted on the official Houston Instagram page, the estate said: 'From the 2009 interview on the Oprah Winfrey show, Whitney absolutely fell off stage, but it was during a sound check and it was due to the darkness of the area and her unfamiliarity with the stage. She was absolutely not high.'
Winfrey, speaking at the Cannes Lions conference in France, claimed Houston was relapsing when she arrived for what would be her last appearance on the show. 'She fell off of the stage,' Winfrey said, adding that she pleaded with the audience not to release any photos of the incident, fearing it would 'ruin her life'.
The estate acknowledged Houston 'faced personal battles, but it is inaccurate and unfair to attach that struggle to every performance or every chapter of her life'. The statement emphasised that on that day, Houston 'showed up as the professional and gifted artist she always worked to be'.
