Ariana Grande withdraws from a London musical and will take a break from the public eye

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LONDON (AP) — Ariana Grande has pulled out of an upcoming stage musical in London, producers said, and plans to withdraw from the public eye for a break from the intense scrutiny she faces.

Grande had been due to star alongside her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey in a production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George” at the Barbican theater in 2027.

Empire Street Productions said Sunday that Grande will no longer be part of the production.

“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the company said. It said the production will open next summer as planned, with casting announced "in due course.”

A representative for Grande told People magazine that the 33-year-old singer “will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

“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 statement said.

The tour is due to wrap up in London on Sept. 1.

Grande found fame as a child performer on Nickelodeon before releasing her debut album, “Yours Truly,” in 2013. She has won three Grammy Awards and was nominated for a supporting actress Academy Award for the big-screen adaptation of the musical “Wicked.”