Tragic: R&B diva Whitney Houston has died aged just 48 Pic: ©Rex Features
Simon Cowell has revealed that he was hoping to sign tragic singer Whitney Houston up for a role on the new series of X Factor.
The shocked show boss - who along with floods of other stars has rushed to pay tribute to the star - said that he was due to enter talks tomorrow (February 13), about a possible mentoring role for Whitney.
Talking to chatshow host and former Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan on CNN, Simon said: “We were ironically going to meet on Monday and of course one of the names we were going to be talking about in that meeting as a possible mentor on the new series of X Factor was going to be Whitney.
“Given the choice, I would have liked to have taken her under my wing as well, because she would have been the ultimate, ultimate mentor to any contestant coming on the show.”
He added: “Ever since doing this job, particularly doing talent shows over the last 10 years, the number one singer anyone ever wanted to emulate, if they really wanted to be a superstar, was always Whitney.
“We would hear Whitney songs over and over again. She was the benchmark, she truly was.”
Whitney was found dead in the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles yesterday (February 11) at 3.55pm local time.
Police spokesman Mark Rosen told reporters Houston had been pronounced dead at 15:55pm (23:55 GMT) in her room on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He said: "She has been positively identified by friends and family (who) were with her at the hotel, and next of kin have already been notified."
Whitney’s publicist Kristen Foster also confirmed the sad news.
In the most recent reports, it is claimed that the singer was reportedly found dead by a friend.
The cause of death is unclear, and an autopsy is expected to take place in the next few days. Police said there were no "obvious signs" of any criminal intent in relation to Houston's death.
Recent reports from celebrity website TMZ have emerged suggesting it is possible Houston drowned, after members of her entourage allegedly found the star lying unresponsive in the bathtub in her hotel room.
They are said to have called paramedics, who are believed to have tried to resuscitate the singer for around 20 minutes, before pronouncing Whitney dead.
TMZ also reports that no illegal drugs have as yet been found in Whitney’s hotel room, but various bottles of prescription drugs were found.
Whitney passed away just hours before she was set to perform at record producer Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party on Saturday (February 11), held at the Beverly Hilton.
The singer was also due to appear at the Grammy Awards tonight (February 12), and had been attending rehearsals, working with singers Brandy and Monica.
Singer Jennifer Hudson is expected to lead a tribute to Houston at tonight’s Grammy Awards.
Whitney Houston was one of the most successful singers of all time. Famous for her signature song I Will Always Love You, which was written by country star Dolly Parton, Whitney sold over 170 million albums worldwide.
She was regarded as one of the true divas in the music industry; but the star’s talent was often overshadowed by a troubled private life.
She publicly battled drink and drug addiction, and her turbulent 15 year marriage to R&B singer Bobby Brown often created headlines.The divorced couple had one daughter together, Bobbi Kristina, 19.
Just hours after news of Whitney’s death emerged, Brown tearfully performed on stage in Mississippi with his band New Edition. He paid tribute to his ex-wife, telling the crowds: “I would like to say, ‘I love you, Whitney'. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage.”
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