Producers confirmed on Sunday that Grande will no longer star in the 2027 Barbican staging of Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George.”
She had been due to star alongside her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey in the production at the Barbican theater.
Empire Street Productions said the show will still open next summer as planned, with casting to be announced in due course. The company added that it understood and supported her decision.
A representative told People magazine that the 33-year-old singer will be taking a step back from visibility once she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Her representative said she looks forward to ending the tour on a high note, both healthily and happily, before taking a break from public-facing work. The statement cited the intense scrutiny she has faced as the reason for the withdrawal.
Grande got her start as a child performer on Nickelodeon before releasing her debut album, “Yours Truly,” in 2013.
She has since won three Grammy Awards and earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing Glinda in “Wicked.” Her current Eternal Sunshine Tour began in June 2026 and marked her first extended run of shows in seven years.
Discussion around Grande’s appearance intensified after the release of her music video for the song “Petal,” with many fans noting her noticeably thinner look in the footage.
The wave of commentary followed her eighth studio album, also titled “Petal,” which came out July 31. Grande’s recent split from former “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater has also drawn added attention to her.
Grande has said the scrutiny over her appearance has become so routine that people rarely question it, describing years of public commentary since her teens.
She has repeatedly asked for restraint around discussion of people’s bodies, most recently in a 2023 social media post, and reshared those remarks again in late 2025 as what she called a reminder to fans.
Grande next appears in “Focker-in-Law,” alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, due in theaters Nov. 25. Her tour concludes with a run of shows at London’s O2 Arena.
Empire Street Productions said, “We know this cannot have been an easy decision,” adding that it made the choice with the company’s full support.
The Barbican production will open next summer as planned, with casting announced in due course. Grande’s tour continues with remaining US and London dates before wrapping Sept. 1.
Why did Ariana Grande leave “Sunday in the Park With George”?
Her team cited ongoing public scrutiny over her appearance as the reason for stepping back.
When does the Eternal Sunshine Tour end?
It concludes Sept. 1 in London after a run at the O2 Arena.
What’s next for Ariana Grande?
She stars in “Focker-in-Law” with Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, out Nov. 25.
SOURCES:
