Jonathan Bailey drops out of West End musical weeks after  ‘Wicked’ co-star Ariana Grande’s sudden departure

Jonathan Bailey announced he was dropping out of the West End musical “Sunday in the Park with George” weeks after his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande’s departure.

“Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering,” the actor wrote via his Instagram Stories Tuesday.

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

Bailey, 38, was set to portray the protagonist, painter George Seurat, with Grande, 33, set to play the role of his mistress, Dot.

“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 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 expressed his well-wishes to the production team and actors, saying, “I will be cheering them on as they continue this journey.”

The “Bridgerton” star and Grande were scheduled to take the stage at London’s Barbican Centre in the summer of 2027.

They previously worked together on the 2024 Jon M. Chu-directed musical “Wicked” and the sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” with Grande portraying Glinda and Bailey as Prince Fiyero.

According to Bailey’s IMDb page, he’s currently working on an untitled John Lee Hancock-directed film. He’s also in the pre-production phase of the psychological sports thriller movie “Pumping Black,” also starring Natalie Portman.

Grande, meanwhile, announced she was pulling out of “Sunday in the Park with George” in August, as she prepares to step away from the limelight when her “Eternal Sunshine” tour concludes in London on Tuesday.

Additionally, the Nickelodeon alum won’t appear as scheduled in Season 13 of “American Horror Story.”

“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,” her spokesperson said.

“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

While the actress’s rep didn’t specify the “ongoing public scrutiny” she faced, Grande had faced body-shaming comments since the release of her “Petal” music video in July.

An insider told Page Six that Grande will spend her time away from the limelight with her family, friends and boyfriend Ricky Alvarez. The couple previously dated from 2015 to 2016. 

“Between touring, rehearsals and her other work commitments, she and Ricky haven’t been able to spend as much time together as she would have liked over the past few months, so she’s looking forward to having more uninterrupted time with him,” our source said.

Grande and the dancer rekindled their relationship over the summer, following her breakup with her “Wicked” co-star, Ethan Slater.