THE thought of stepping into Whitney Houston’s shoes is daunting but Alexandra Burke made it look easy.

Anyone doubting Burke’s vocal talent and ability to take on the lead role in The Bodyguard should remember she once shared a stage with Beyonce and was not outshone.

The story is simple - huge superstar falls in love with the bodyguard hired to protect her from a deranged fan – but it works and from the second she stepped on the stage as Rachel Marron, Burke oozed confidence and proved she still has The X Factor.

Although the American accent was shaky at times, she effortlessly cruised through some of Houston’s biggest hits including I’m Every Woman, Queen of the Night and I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

But Burke isn’t the only one with who grabs your attention – Melissa James, who plays her sister Nicki seemed to be the gentle yet powerful voice you are drawn to as they duet on Run To You.

Burke is also good at portraying her character’s vulnerable side and there are several touching scenes between her and Stuart Reid, who plays her bodyguard Frank Farmer and the pair work well together throughout.

I must confess I’m prone to looking at the programme during some productions, counting how many numbers there are until the finale but this time I was couldn’t tear my eyes from the stage.

When Burke stepped out to perform the big one – I Will Always Love You – I had goosebumps and as she belted her way through the song I was moved to tears and the applause she received raised the roof.

This show is a must see for any fan of the film and will run at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre until May 2.