Whitney Houston's former bodyguard, Ray Watson, has refuted Oprah Winfrey's recent assertion that the singer was under the influence of drugs when she fell off stage during a 2009 performance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Watson, who was present during the incident and later found Houston's body after her 2012 death, stated that the fall was due to poor stage lighting and unfamiliarity with the set.

Winfrey, 72, had alleged in a recent interview that Houston had relapsed into addiction during her 2009 appearance and claimed she persuaded the audience not to release footage of the incident to protect Houston's career. Houston died at age 48 from accidental drowning with cocaine in her system.

Watson's account, as reported by TMZ, suggests that Houston was not under the influence at the time. He described a "dark spot" at the edge of the unfamiliar stage, leading to the tumble. According to Watson, Houston "made fun" of the fall afterward, exclaiming, "I didn't even see that!"

He acknowledged that Winfrey "might have thought she was" under the influence but maintained, "she wasn't. I would know." Watson's recollection aligns with a statement released by Houston's family, specifically her sister-in-law and estate executor, Pat Houston. Pat Houston stated on Instagram that Whitney "was absolutely not high" during the show, attributing the fall to the "darkness of the area and her unfamiliarity with the stage."

"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," Pat Houston added. "We owe her the dignity of telling the truth, not repeating myths."

Winfrey had recounted the incident at the Cannes Lions festival, stating that she begged her studio audience, who had cameras, not to release the footage, fearing it would "ruin her life."

During her 2009 appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which was one of her final interviews, Houston herself spoke candidly about her struggles with substance abuse. She admitted that drug use had been a regular occurrence for her since the mid-1990s, describing her addiction as "painful."

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" ran for 25 seasons from 1986 to 2011. Houston appeared on the show multiple times throughout her career, including in 1998, 1999, and 2009.