Katharine McPhee Returns to American Idol Stage  7/28/06

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American Idol star Katharine McPhee is set to join the Idols Live tour three weeks late last night (27JUL06) after being given the all-clear to sing live.

The reality TV star was forced to pull out of the early dates after she was diagnosed with bronchitis and laryngitis shortly after her win.

McPhee admits she can't wait to return to the stage and answer her critics.

She says, "People had me like, 'She's lying, she's shooting a movie, she just thinks she's better than American Idol.' It's negative stuff, it's all untrue.

"I had a little bruising to my vocal chords, I had to take time to heal."

The former bulimic hopes she doesn't disappoint fans when she performs for them - because she's still not fully recovered.

She adds, "I'm not completely 100 per cent. The doctor still wants me to really take it easy, so I'm not going to be doing this whole section of, like, six songs.

"I probably will only be singing a few songs and I hope my fans will understand that."

McPhee could not have timed her return to the stage better - the Idols Live stars visit US President George W Bush at the White House in Washington DC tonight (28JUL06).