Boy George is pulled out of Jesus Christ Superstar role after AI song backlash
Boy George quits Jesus Christ Superstar ahead of his debut. (Dave Benett/Getty)
Boy George has been pulled out of an upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium last minute.
The 65-year-old singer had been cast in the role of King Herod in the West End revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar. He was scheduled to be performing from Monday (3 August) until August 15.
Current Herod Richard Armitage is set to cover George’s performance dates. Strictly star Layton William and comedian Julian Clary are next up to star in the rotating role.
George’s withdrawal comes after the singer received backlash for his new, reportedly AI-assisted, song “We Will Dance Again”. The track supports Israel and denies the “genocide” in Gaza.
In June, a United Nations independent commission declared that Israel is committing “genocide” and “atrocity crimes by deliberately targeting Palestinian children.”
The Culture Club frontman’s reggae song begins: “You say genocide / I say war / When you’re attacked / That’s what the army is for / Does it get ugly? / You bet it does / When I know you want to kill / Every last one of us…”
‘We offer our sincere apologies for the disappointment this decision may cause’
George’s manager, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Paul Kemsley, announced the Jesus Christ Superstar news on Thursday (30 July) evening.
Kemsley posted: “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.”
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