Ariana Grande has withdrawn from a West End production of the musical “Sunday in the Park with George,” People reported Sunday evening. According to her representatives, the singer wants to “take a step back from visibility” for a while after completing her current tour.
“Sunday in the Park with George” is expected to open in London next summer and will star Jonathan Bailey, who played Fiyero opposite Grande in the two “Wicked” films. Despite her departure, the source who provided the details to the U.S. outlet said Grande “cannot wait to support the brilliant team bringing this project to life.”
Ariana Grande
(Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the source added. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
According to a source close to Grande, her current show is physically demanding.
“She performs a very physical show, and there is a lot of athleticism involved,” the source said. “She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night.”
In recent years, Grande’s appearance and health have become the subject of sustained public discussion. The scrutiny intensified over the weekend following the release of the music video for “Petal,” the title track from her new album.
The Grammy-winning singer has previously addressed criticism of her body, both in social media responses and through her music. In “yes, and?” from her previous album, “Eternal Sunshine,” released in 2024, she sings: “Don’t comment on my body.”
The source who spoke with People also said the new album, “Petal,” is not about a romantic relationship or breakup, but rather “a fight song, an anthem about the love-hate relationship with the public and their toxicity.”
Grande’s current tour began in California in June and has since traveled to numerous cities across the United States. It is expected to conclude with a series of shows in London, ending Sept. 1.
Grande is then expected to return to the big screen in November in the comedy “Focker-in-Law,” the latest installment in the “Meet the Parents” franchise, alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.