Bloated, bedraggled and out of tune: Whitney Houston disappoints London on the latest leg of her troubled world tour

By Georgina Littlejohn

Lost her touch: Looking bloated and out of shape, Whitney Houston left fans disappointed on the London leg of her comeback world tour last night


Much like her most popular song, her adoring fans have always loved Whitney Houston.
But that could be changing after the singer's comeback world tour went from bad to worse on the latest leg of the tour in London's O2 arena last night.

The 46-year-old's first concert in the capital since 1999 was memorable - but unfortunately for the 20,000 fans, for all the wrong reasons.

Houston admitted to the crowd that she couldn't hit the high notes and even abandoned The Greatest Love Of All after only a couple of verses.

Houston had been greeted by wild cheering as she walked out on stage as fans gave her the benefit of the doubt despite her disastrous concert in Birmingham last month.

She had been criticised for her performance but blamed croaky vocals on a respiratory infection and suffered a series of technical glitches.

It had been a similar situation during the Australian leg of her Nothing But Love world tour in February when she came under fire for fluffing her lines.


Strain: Whitney used all her lung power as she struggled to hit the high notes she was once so famous for


But last night, once again the voice that had left her contemporaries reeling in its wake, was a former shadow of what it used to be.

After stumbling half-heartedly through her signature song I Will Always Love You, Houston, who has suffered her fair share of drug problems in the past, said: 'She don't want to come, my soprano friend.'

She added: 'Sometimes the old girl sings, but not tonight. I want to do it, but she doesn't want to. ... She's getting a little ... temperamental, even.'

C'mon everybody! Whitney claps her hands to try and rouse the crowd


Diva: But Whitney found it hard to hit the high notes she was once so famous for


She struggled further with another of her classic songs, this time cutting short Greatest Love Of All, only managing to pull of a couple of verses.

And during much of the set she paused and panted for breath between songs while her backing singers did a great job of carrying her with their melodies.

Her outfit also left a bit to be desired. She came on stage in tight leather trousers, a sequinned jacket that struggled to fasten at her middle and a bloated face.


I Will Always Love You: But fans were left disappointed with the singer's appearance and lack of vocal range


Whitney did manage to stay on stage for the majority of the two-hour gig, her first of three at the Docklands venue.

But fans were still unhappy, with some even demanding their money back.

Speaking to USA Today after the gig, fan Mark Higgins said it was 'rubbish' and added: 'She can't even complete a song.


Get on down: Whitney and her dancers entertain the crowd


He said his daughter had given the tickets to him and his wife for Christmas but he was going to demand his money back.

Dave Law from Plymouth said: 'I remember her 20 years ago. She's not a patch on what she was.'

Were you at the gig? Let us know what you thought of Whitney's performance by leavint your comments below...


Thank you and goodnight: Whitney bids last night's crowd a farewell but hundreds of them had already walked out


source: dailymail