Whitney Houston for The X Factor

Houston has sold 134 million albums

Whitney Houston is to appear as a guest on The X Factor and give her first UK TV performance in 12 years.

Her appearance will be on 18 October, the day before the UK release of her comeback record I Look To You. It is her first studio album since 2002.

The singer said: "It should be a fun night. I am a fan of Simon Cowell's and look forward to meeting him."

Houston recently told how her mother saved her from drug addiction but she faced a daily struggle to stay clean.

Houston's CD I Look To You went to number one in the US album chart with 305,000 sales.

Drug Free

Last month Whitney Houston gave her first interview in seven years to Oprah Winfrey. She told her how her mother forced her into rehab.

She admitted to Winfrey she would smoke marijuana and crack cocaine at the same time but says she is now drug free.

Robbie Williams is also set to appear on this series of The X Factor.