Whitney Houston film gets January premiere date

Los Angeles: Lifetime's Whitney Houston movie will air on January 17, it has been confirmed.

The original film, directed by Angela Bassett, will star Yaya DaCosta as the much-loved late singer, with Arlen Escarpeta playing Bobby Brown, reported Ace Showbiz.

Whitney will follow the pair's relationship from their first meeting to their headline-making marriage, while also showing the difficulties they faced as Houston rose to fame around the world.

The film will include hit singles including 'I Will Always Love You', 'I'm Every Woman and 'The Greatest Love Of All', all sung by Grammy-nominated singer Deborah Cox Brown's 'Every Little Step' will also feature.

Meanwhile, Lifetime has also announced that the premiere will be followed by an hour-long documentary 'Beyond the Headlines: Whitney Houston'.

The programme will feature interviews with industry insiders, colleagues and friends including Darlene Love.

'American Horror Story' star Bassett recently defended the film, after Whitney's mother Cissy Houston criticised it for going ahead without the family's blessing. 'Whitney' will premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, January 17, 2015.