Highlights
- Jonathan Bailey has withdrawn from Sunday in the Park With George after Ariana Grande left the production
- Grande stepped away as part of her decision to reduce her public-facing commitments after her tour
- The West End musical is still expected to open at London’s Barbican in summer 2027, but both of its original stars will now be replaced
Jonathan Bailey has pulled out of Sunday in the Park With George, just weeks after Ariana Grande announced that she would no longer star in the highly anticipated West End production.
Bailey was due to play George opposite Grande as Dot in the London revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical. His departure means the production has now lost both of its headline stars before tickets have even gone on sale.
So, what happened?
Why did Ariana Grande leave the production?
Grande announced in August that she was stepping away from Sunday in the Park With George as part of a wider decision to take a break from public-facing work.
The singer had been preparing to star opposite her Wicked co-star Bailey, but decided to step back after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour. Her decision came amid intense public scrutiny surrounding her health and appearance.
The production's producers, Empire Street Productions, said at the time that they understood Grande's decision and that the musical would continue as planned, with a new actress taking on the role of Dot.
Grande's departure meant that her planned reunion with Bailey on the London stage was already off. However, Bailey's subsequent decision to leave has now changed the production even further.
Why has Jonathan Bailey followed Ariana out?
Bailey announced his withdrawal on social media, describing Grande as “one of my dearest friends” and making clear that his support for her remained unwavering.
The actor also spoke warmly about the musical itself, calling it a passion project and praising the relationship between its central characters.
Rather than criticising the production or suggesting that it was being cancelled, Bailey wished the incoming actors well and said he would be cheering on the company as it continued.
His exit nevertheless brings an end to one of the project's biggest selling points: seeing Bailey and Grande reunite on stage after starring together in Wicked.
Is Sunday in the Park With George still happening?
For now, yes.
Empire Street Productions has said that casting discussions are under way and that the creative team is reshaping the production around a new company while preserving the artistic ambition of Sondheim and Lapine's musical.
The show remains scheduled to open at the Barbican in summer 2027, although new casting and production details have yet to be announced.
The musical has already experienced delays to its ticket launch. Tickets were initially expected to go on sale in May 2026 before the date was pushed back, and they have yet to become available.
What was supposed to be the Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey reunion?
The production was set to bring the two Wicked stars together again in very different roles.
Grande, who played Glinda in Wicked, was due to portray Dot, while Bailey, who played Fiyero, was set to take on the role of George Seurat.
Sunday in the Park With George, which premiered in 1984, follows a fictionalised version of French painter Georges Seurat as he works on his famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, with Dot serving as his muse and lover.
With both Grande and Bailey now out, the Barbican production faces the task of finding two new leads before its planned 2027 opening.
