Whitney Houston’s estate blasts Oprah over drug relapse claim

Whitney Houston’s estate has strongly pushed back against Oprah Winfrey’s recent claim that the late music icon was high on drugs when she fell off a stage during a 2009 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

The dispute erupted after Oprah shared the story while accepting the LionHeart Award at the Cannes Lions festival in France.

During her remarks, Oprah recalled Houston’s final appearance on her talk show and claimed the singer had recently relapsed. According to Oprah, Houston was so impaired that she fell off the stage before filming and she later urged audience members not to release photographs of the incident.

Now, Whitney’s estate says that version of events is completely inaccurate.

In a statement issued through the estate’s executor, Pat Houston, Oprah’s account was firmly rejected.

“Whitney absolutely fell off the stage, but it was during a sound check, and it was due to the darkness of the area and her unfamiliarity with the stage,” Pat Houston said.

“She was absolutely not high.”

The estate acknowledged Whitney’s well-documented struggles with addiction but argued that it is unfair to link every difficult moment in her life to substance abuse.

“Like many people, she faced personal battles, but it is inaccurate and unfair to attach that struggle to every performance or every chapter of her life,” the statement continued.

Pat Houston also defended Whitney’s professionalism during the appearance, saying audience members witnessed a performer who was prepared and committed to her craft.

“What the studio audience witnessed on stage was the result of discipline, talent, and commitment — not the assumptions others project,” she said.

The estate concluded by calling for a more accurate portrayal of the late singer’s legacy.

“Whitney’s humanity included triumphs and struggles, but on that day, she showed up as the professional and gifted artist she always worked to be. We owe her the dignity of telling the truth, not repeating myths.”

Oprah’s comments came during a discussion about trust between herself and her audience. She described asking audience members not to release photos of Houston’s fall because she feared publicity surrounding the incident would devastate the singer.

According to Oprah, audience members honoured her request and the images have never surfaced publicly.

Houston’s appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show aired in September 2009 and became one of the most memorable interviews of her later years.

The legendary singer died in February 2012 at the age of 48 after accidentally drowning in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The official investigation found heart disease and cocaine use were contributing factors in her death.

The disagreement between Oprah and Houston’s estate has now sparked fresh debate over the singer’s legacy and how her struggles with addiction are remembered years after her passing.