By Page Six | Created at 2026-08-03 12:30:04 | Updated at 2026-08-03 19:12:25
7 hours ago
The “Sunday in the Park with George” production team shared their “understanding and support” in the wake of Ariana Grande’s exit from the West End show.
“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,'” read a statement shared by the musical’s official X account Sunday.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the producers continued over the weekend.
“We wish her nothing but the best,” the statement concluded. “The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course.”
Grande, notably, was set to star in the musical opposite her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey at London’s Barbican Centre.
People confirmed on Sunday that the Grammy winner, 33, was “exiting the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s” musical.
The announcement came in tandem with Grande sharing her plans to “tak[e] a step back from visibility” amid rampant online concerns over her weight loss.
“She looks forward to finishing the [‘Eternal Sunshine’] tour [on Sept. 1] 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 songwriter’s spokesperson wrote.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her,” the statement went on. “She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Additionally, a source close to the actress said, “She performs a very physical show, and there is a lot of athleticism involved. She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night.”
Grande’s rep has yet to respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
The chatter surrounding the “Victorious” alum’s appearance ramped up when she kicked off her tour in June and intensified when her “Petal” music video dropped Friday.
Last year, the former Nickelodeon star warned social media users to refrain from “really dangerous” body-shaming comments.
Grande re-posted a tearful 2024 interview of hers, during which she said, “I think in today’s society, there is a comfortability [sic] that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health or how they present themselves.”
At the time, the “Sam & Cat” alum confessed she had a “hard” time “protect[ing]” herself “from all that noise.”
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