Ariana Grande will no longer make her planned West End debut, pulling out of a major London production as her representative said the pop star intends to take a “step back” from the spotlight.
Ms Grande had been due to appear opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in The Park with George, scheduled for summer 2027 at the Barbican theatre.
However, the 33-year-old singer’s representative said she is seeking a “much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances” once her current tour finishes its London run on 1 September.
In a statement shared on X, the producers of Sunday in The Park with George said: “We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support”, adding that the production will proceed as planned, with casting details to be announced “in due course”.
“We wish her nothing but the best,” the production said.
Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George.
We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. 1/2
— Sunday In The Park With George (@SundayParkStage) August 2, 2026
Ms Grande’s representative told People magazine that while the Grammy-winning artist is keen to see out her tour, she wants to take a “step back from visibility” after a run of appearances that has “led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny”.
The decision lands as Ms Grande is again facing attention over her health. She has previously warned that body-shaming comments are “really dangerous”.
Hugely successful
Ms Grande began her career as a teen on Broadway before embarking on a hugely successful pop career
Her performance as Glinda in the film version of Wicked brought her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Yet the scale of the film’s success — along with its sequel, Wicked: For Good — kept her in near-constant media rotation for much of the past two years.
She is set to appear in the comedy Focker-in-Law opposite Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, which hits cinemas in November.
Source: AFP
