Jonathan Bailey Drops Out of ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ Following Ariana Grande’s Exit

Jonathan Bailey has dropped out of the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George following Ariana Grande‘s exit from the cast.

About one month after the pop superstar’s rep announced that she would be “taking a step back” from public-facing engagements such as the London musical, Bailey — who also costarred with Grande in the Wicked movies — announced Tuesday (Sept. 1) that he, too, would be pulling out of the production. “Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering,” he began in his statement, which he shared to his Instagram Story.

“After much consideration, I have decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George,” he continued. “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. 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.”

The Bridgerton actor also took a moment to praise director Marianne Elliott, calling her “extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends.”

Sunday in the Park With George was scheduled to open on the West End in summer 2027. It was originally announced in January that Grande and Bailey would be reuniting for the stage show, which is inspired by the iconic Georges Seurat pointillist painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago.

A statement on the musical’s official Instagram page reads, “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.”

“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,” it continues. “Further casting and production details will be announced in due course.”

Grande is currently one show away from completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which concludes Tuesday evening after a 10-night stint at the O2 Arena in London. Following increased public speculation about the Grammy winner’s appearance, her rep told People at the beginning of August, “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility … 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.”

Shortly afterward at a concert in Chicago, Grande clarified that “the announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” adding, “It’s a plan that I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”