Jonathan Bailey has announced his withdrawal from the West End show Sunday in the Park with George after co-star Ariana Grande pulled out last month.
The actor shared a statement on Instagram on Tuesday revealing his surprise exit in support of Grande, just hours before the singer was scheduled to perform the final London date of her Eternal Sunshine tour on September 1.
The decision leaves producers looking for a new lead pairing for the production, which is scheduled to open at the Barbican Centre in London in summer 2027.
In his statement on social media, Bailey described Grande as one of his closest friends and expressed full backing for her decision to step back from the project.
"Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering," Bailey wrote. "Marianne is extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends. After much consideration, I have decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George."
Director Marianne Elliott has worked with Bailey on several major stage projects in the past. The revival of the 1984 musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine centers on the painter Georges Seurat and his model Dot, characters originally set to be played by Bailey and Grande.
Bailey described the production as a passion project and praised the story of the two main characters. "This brilliant, introspective musical has been a real passion project for me, and I feel incredibly lucky to have shared in its journey with this team," he said.
"Among many things, the story explores the deep connection between George and Dot, a beautiful, devoted pairing, and I so look forward to seeing what the two actors who will now take on these roles will create with it," Bailey added. He signed off his message: "I wish the very best to the entire company, I will be cheering them on as they continue with this production. Jonny x"
Producers Search for New Lead Cast
Following Bailey's announcement, the producers of Sunday in the Park with George confirmed that both lead roles will now be recast ahead of the production's London opening.
"Following Ariana Grande’s withdrawal, Jonathan Bailey has informed the producers that he has also decided to withdraw from Sunday in the Park with George," the production team said in an official statement.
"Work on the production continues. Casting discussions are actively under way, and the creative team is reshaping the production around a new company while preserving the ambition and artistic integrity of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical," the statement continued. "Further casting and production details will be announced in due course."
The announcement marks a major change for the high-profile West End production, which reunites the creative legacy of Sondheim and Lapine. The musical originally premiered on Broadway in 1984, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for its portrayal of artistic devotion and personal relationships.
Bailey and Grande previously starred together as Fiyero and Glinda in the movie adaptation of the musical Wicked. The two actors formed a close friendship during filming, and Bailey was seen smiling and dancing in the audience at Grande's Eternal Sunshine concert in London last week.
Ariana Grande Steps Back From Visibility
Grande announced her withdrawal from the West End show last month as part of a broader decision to step back from public appearances following her world tour.
A statement from production company Empire Street Productions confirmed her departure while reinforcing that the staging remains on track. "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," the company stated.
"We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support," Empire Street Productions 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."
A spokesman for Grande told PEOPLE magazine that the singer plans to take an extended break from public-facing work once her current concert commitments conclude.
"Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour," the spokesman said. "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 spokesman added: "This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much."
Addressing Fans and Public Scrutiny
Grande's decision comes after her physical appearance faced intense public scrutiny in recent months, particularly following the release of her music video for the song Petal.
Although the singer has publicly insisted that she is healthy, fans expressed concern online regarding her appearance in the violent music video.
Speaking directly to the audience during one of her concert dates, Grande clarified that her career hiatus was not an impulsive reaction to media commentary or public speculation.
"Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, they need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes," Grande told fans from the stage. She added that the tour, which kicked off in North America in June, "will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life."
Addressing reports surrounding her decision, Grande assured her audience that her break had been planned well in advance. "Sometimes when a story comes out that's not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion," she said. "So I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight because I love you so much. The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing."
"It is something that I had decided to plan that I had quietly made a long time ago and it's a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place," Grande explained. "And I want you to know many things can be true at the same time."
The singer strongly rejected suggestions that public negativity forced her to step away from her career. "I want to share this because I heard that my fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me, but I just have to say that could not be more the f**k opposite. Honestly, this is not what that is," she told the crowd.
"And I just want to be very, very clear: Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, they need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes. And also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life," Grande reiterated.
She concluded her message to fans with an emotional statement from the stage about her relationship with her supporters and her attitude toward public noise.
"No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will ever be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or elaborate to me than this love that we share," Grande said. "The rest of that s**t is not mine to carry, so I don't carry it. I need to get out here and differentiate that from my truth for you all because I love you and this tour has been the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life."
