Ariana Grande’s West End exit caused a “terrible mess” behind the scenes.
The “Sunday in the Park with George” production team was reportedly told of the singer quitting less than an hour before her rep went public with the news.
“The Barbican [Centre] was informed at 8pm on Sunday,” a source alleged to the Daily Mail on Monday. “It was all very sudden and has left them in a terrible mess.”
The insider added, “It is their most expensive theatrical project ever, and all involved are absolutely gutted. There were promotion plans in place, with magazine covers lined up. But in any theatre production, you have to consider something like this could happen.”
While there have allegedly “been ongoing discussions [about the production] because there was a lot of [online chatter] around Ariana,” she was “excited to do this show” when rehearsals started next year.
The drama “all unfolded rapidly after the release of” Grande’s “Petal” music video on Friday “sparked more backlash about her appearance,” the outlet noted.
The Grammy winner’s new release, notably, sparked online chatter about her thin frame — years after her repeated requests for social media users to refrain from “really dangerous body-shaming” comments.
Over the weekend, Grande’s rep announced the songwriter’s choice to “take a step back from visibility” after her “Eternal Sunshine” tour wraps next month.
The spokesperson, who cited “ongoing public scrutiny” as the motivation behind the decision, wrote, “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.
“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her,” the statement continued. “She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Grande’s departure from “Sunday in the Park With George was revealed in tandem, with the producers sharing their “complete understanding and support” via X.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision,” they wrote. “We wish her nothing but the best.”
Grande’s casting news was announced in January.
The 33-year-old and her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey were set to play Dot and George, respectively, in next summer’s show.
Bailey reportedly remains “committed” to the project as he “was always a key player in this.”
The Daily Mail’s source claimed, “Ariana wanted the role of Dot alongside him. Jonathan and Ariana were excited to do it together. They have become incredibly close. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jonathan had found out before the Barbican did.”
Reps for Bailey and Grande did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
The actor, 38, has yet to address Grande’s headline-making exit.
The “Victorious” alum, for her part, gave a four-minute speech during Monday night’s Chicago concert to dispute speculation her “thoughtful” and “empowering” choice has anything to do with “negativity … ruining things for” her.
The former Nickelodeon star insisted, “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality.”
Page Six hears Grande has “been working nonstop for a long time and finally got to a point where she realized she needed to give herself permission to step back for a while.”
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