The London theatre where Ariana Grande was due to perform in Sunday In The Park With George has said it wishes her “nothing but the best” after she quit the project.
The singer, 33, has dropped out of the upcoming London revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical, in which she was due to appear opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey at the Barbican in 2027.
The show will still go ahead as planned with Bailey starring, and Grande’s part will be recast.
A representative for the Barbican said: “On Sunday evening, Ariana Grande’s team shared the news that she has made the difficult decision to step back from our production of Sunday In The Park With George.
“She makes this with unreserved understanding and support from Empire Street Productions and everyone at the Barbican.
“We wish her nothing but the best for the rest of her tour and for the future, and sincerely hope to welcome her to the Barbican one day when the time is right.
“Our brilliant theatre team are continuing their hard work preparing for Sunday In The Park with George to open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, starring Jonathan Bailey and directed by Marianne Elliott.
“Further casting and details about the run, as well as information about how to buy tickets, will be announced soon.”
Grande will take “a step back from visibility” after her Eternal Sunshine tour, which will come to the UK in August, with a 10-night residency at London’s The O2.
The Wicked star will soon be seen in the upcoming film Focker-In-Law, which is due for release in November, but it is not yet known if she will take part in promotional activity.
The comedy, the fourth in the Fockers series, was filmed last year, with Grande playing a former FBI hostage negotiator named Olivia.
The singer also has a role in the upcoming Warner Bros animated film Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, based on Dr. Seuss’s classic children’s book, which is due for release in March 2028 and is still in production.Grande’s representatives and Warner Bros have been contacted for comment.
A representative for Grande told People: “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.
“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.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Empire Street Productions said Grande made the decision to quit the London play “with our complete understanding and support”.
A statement added: “We wish her nothing but the best. The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course.”
The original musical, created by Sondheim and James Lapine, debuted on Broadway in 1984 starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters.
The show is inspired by the Georges Seurat painting A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte.
It follows the story of a fictionalised Seurat as he tries to complete the portrait, showing challenges in understanding life and art, and exploring his relationship with his lover and muse, Dot.
Grande first found fame playing Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon television shows Victorious and Sam & Cat.
The announcement about Sunday In The Park With George comes after Grande released the music video for Petal, the title single from her newly released eighth studio album, which sparked speculation about her health.
Read MoreAriana Grande withdraws from a London musical and will take a break from the public eye
Ariana Grande pulls out of London musical to take a break from public scrutiny
