Oprah Winfrey recalls Whitney Houston’s drug relapse and fall; says ‘if this story got out… it would be destroyed’ |

media mogul Oprah Winfrey made an appearance at the international Cannes Lions festival, where he reflected on his decades-long career as a media personality. During the chat, the star shared tidbits from her life on film sets while encouraging up-and-coming media personalities to show restraint and compassion.

Oprah in his time with Whitney Houston

Speaking with Cannes Lions President Phil Thomas, Winfrey discussed philanthropy, her journey to becoming one of the most influential self-made figures and more. Emphasizing the responsibility that comes with influence, Winfrey revisited one of her most memorable interviews with Whitney Houston on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Recalling the trust they established before filming, she said, “We did the whole, ‘Hey girl, how are you?'” greeting thing, and then I stopped the cameras and went backstage and said, “So tell me, what do you want to happen here? And I’ll tell you what I want to happen here.And that was one of the most powerful interviews.”

Oprah remembers Whitney Houston falling off the stage

He went on to reveal that Houston later returned to the show for a performance at a time when she had relapsed. “I was so trusted by the audience of ‘The Oprah Show’… I think so [Houston’s] the last show with us, and she was back on drugs,” Winfrey said.“The first interview I did with him when we went backstage and I asked him about his intention, he was clean, but the day he came to my show then to perform in front of the audience, he wasn’t, and he fell off the stage.”

Oprah “begged” the audience not to release Whitney Houston’s details to the media

The TV host recalled “begging” her audience not to reveal the incident to the media. She said: “I knew if that story got out … she would be devastated by it. And so, even though the public was there and the public had cameras, I begged them not to release those photos because it would ruin her life, and they didn’t.”Reflecting on how dramatically the media landscape has changed since then, Winfrey added, “That wouldn’t happen today, I can tell you that.”Houston, died in February 2012 at the age of 48. His death was ruled an accidental drowning.