Key Points
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Jonathan Bailey has exited the West End revival of Sunday in the Park with George, weeks after Ariana Grande announced she’d dropped out of the production.
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“I so look forward to seeing what the team, and the two actors who will now take on these roles, will create with it,” Bailey said in part.
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The Wicked costars were previously cast in the the London musical, initially set for a summer 2027 premiere
Jonathan Bailey is bowing out from the West End revival of Sunday in the Park with George.
The Bridgerton star’s announcement comes weeks after his Wicked costar, Ariana Grande, announced that she would be “taking a step back” from public life, including the upcoming stage musical. The play, directed by Marianne Elliott, was slated to premiere at the Barbican Centre in London.
“Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering. Marianne is extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends,” Bailey began a statement on his Instagram Story on Sept. 1.
“After much consideration, I have decided to also step back from Sunday in the Park with George.”
Jonathan Bailey at the ‘Wicked: For Good’ premiere at David Geffen Hall in New York in November 2025
Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage
“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,” Bailey continued. “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 team, and the two actors who will now take on these roles, will create with it.”
Bailey concluded by wishing “the very best to the entire company with what will no doubt be an incredible production” and vowed to continue “cheering them on.”
Entertainment Weekly contacted reps for Bailey and did not receive an immediate response.
The social media page for Sunday in the Park With George also confirmed Bailey’s exit. “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,” their statement read in part.
The revival of the play — which starred Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters when it first first premiered Off Broadway in 1983 — was announced in January, with a premiere date slated for next summer.
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In August, Grande’s publicist confirmed to PEOPLE that the Grammy winner would be “taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour” on Sept. 1 — following a show at The O2 in London.
“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 rep continued.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Ariana Grande as Glinda in ‘Wicked: For Good’
Credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
At the time, the Sunday in the Park with George account said on social media: “We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.”
“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.”
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly