Whitney Houston suffers pre-gig jitters

Whitney Houston was terrified about the possibility of forgetting her lyrics at a special charity gig on Thursday night.

The US singer asked for a special backstage area where she could drum the words into her mind before going on-stage for her comeback concert at the Legends Ball in London.

A source told The Mirror: "Whitney was really nervous before her set. She didn't make any diva demands and was polite to everyone. She spent 45 minutes reading the lyrics, mouthing the words and holding her hands as if in prayer."

Celebrities including Mickey Rooney, Boyzone and the Sugababes turned up to see Whitney perform live.

The star's last-minute preparation paid off and she had no problems with lyrics during the performances. She received a positive reaction from the crowd, with audience members telling People magazine that she "looked and sounded amazing".