David Roberts, the former bodyguard of Whitney Houston from 1988 to 1995, has opened up about the deep bond he shared with the iconic singer. Speaking ahead of the release of his memoir, Protecting Whitney, the 73-year-old Welsh-born former police officer revealed how his feelings for Houston once tested his professional boundaries.
Risking it All for Whitney Houston
Roberts shared an emotional moment when Houston, resting her head on his shoulder one evening, made him consider crossing a line he knew he couldn’t. “If you cross that line, you lose your objectivity, and that makes it dangerous for the person you’re protecting,” he told the Daily Mail. “That was why Frank Farmer and Rachel Marron [characters in The Bodyguard] couldn’t be together. He crossed the line, and it was the end of his role as protector.”
Roberts noted how aspects of the 1992 film The Bodyguard, inspired by his experiences, mirrored real-life scenarios with Houston. “Much of what was contained in the film, she and I actually lived through,” he explained. “Little details like Rachel holding onto the back of his shirt to escape crowds of fans—that was how we did it.”
Despite the challenges, Roberts emphasized his commitment to Houston’s safety. He recalled facing threats, often from men with delusions of entitlement or anger. “You want to get to Whitney? Go ahead and try, see what happens,” he recounted, underscoring the stakes of his work.
Roberts also shared a cherished memory: a Post-it note Houston slid under his hotel room door during a 1988 trip to Hong Kong. “It’s faded with time but still precious to me,” he said.
While he initially hesitated to take the job, fearing Houston would be a “high-maintenance showbiz client,” meeting her changed everything. “I was singularly impressed by her. She was sophisticated, funny, and warm,” he said.
Reflecting on her tragic 2012 death, Roberts expressed lingering anger. “So many people could have done so much to avoid that. They didn’t. They abdicated responsibility in favor of greed.”