Ariana Grande is 'taking a step back' from public life amid 'endless scrutiny'
Ariana Grande will be ‘taking a step back’ from the public eye after she wraps up her Eternal Sunshine Tour amid ‘ongoing public scrutiny’.
A representative for the Wicked star told PEOPLE that she’ll be taking a break when her tour concludes in London on 1 September.
The rep told the publication: “Ariana 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.”
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They added: “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
A source close to the star told the publication: “She performs a very physical show, and there is a lot of athleticism involved. She performs healthily and successfully at a very high level night after night.”
Her decision to take a break means Grande will no longer be appearing in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George.
The show, which also stars Jonathan Bailey, is scheduled to open in London next summer.
Empire Street Productions confirmed Ariana's appearance next summer was off.
They said tonight: “Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday In The Park With George.
“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.”
The news of Grande’s impending step back from public-facing life comes just days after she released her eighth studio album Petal.
The release of the album renewed the discourse surrounding Grande’s body and health.
The three-time Grammy winner first found fame on Nickelodeon shows like Victorious and Sam & Cat, before forging out a very successful music career.
She returned to the screen for 2024’s Wicked Glinda, opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba.
Her performance in the flick earned Grande an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.
Grand was set to appear in American Horror Story Season 13, but last month it was reported that she had dropped due to ‘scheduling conflicts’ with her ongoing tour.
The next time fans will see Grande on screen will be in Focker In-Law, where she’ll star alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The movie is set to land in cinemas in November.
Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour kicked off in June in California before setting off around the US.
The US portion of the tour draws to a close this week in Chicago, after which Grande will fly out to the UK for a set of shows in London.
Grande recently told fans it could be a while before she tours again.
According to the Daily Mail, she said: “I'm very excited to do this small tour. But I think it might not happen again for a long, long time.”
Topics: Ariana Grande
Claire Reid