Boy George was due to participate in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical as part of a rotating cast of King Herods, taking over from Richard Armitage on 3 August
Boy George will no longer play King Herod in the London Palladium production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
He was due to participate in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical as part of a rotating cast of King Herods, taking over from Richard Armitage on 3 August and performing through 15 August. Armitage will now continue to perform in the show for this period.
In a statement on social media, George’s manager, Paul Kemsley, wrote: “After careful consideration, I have decided, in my capacity as Boy George’s manager, that he will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium.
“The decision has been made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company. We are grateful for the professionalism and understanding they have shown throughout and sincerely wish everyone involved every success with the production.
“We also recognise that many people purchased tickets in the hope of seeing George perform. To those fans, we offer our sincere apologies for the disappointment this decision may cause, and we are deeply grateful for their continued loyalty and support.
“George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that.
“Equally, I believe it is my responsibility to make decisions that are in the best interests of my artist while also showing respect to others. In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus, while ensuring everyone involved can move forward with mutual respect and goodwill.”
The decision comes days after George released a controversial song called “We Will Dance Again”, which voices support for Israel’s military action in Palestine.
The role of Herod at the London Palladium is being shared by Julian Clary, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Layton Williams, and Richard Armitage, with further actors playing Herod in the show’s later Theatre Royal Drury Lane run.
Book Jesus Christ Superstar tickets at the London Palladium on LondonTheatre.co.uk
Book Jesus Christ Superstar tickets at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on LondonTheatre.co.uk
Photo credit: Boy George. (Photo by Dean Stockings)