Boy George will no longer take the stage in London’s upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar. The surprise announcement arrived just days after the singer sparked backlash over an AI-generated song supporting Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
PK Kemsley, husband of Dorit Kemsley from ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills‘, shared the news in a statement on Instagram. The longtime manager did not directly link the decision to the controversy surrounding the track.
PK Kemsley confirmed Boy George will no longer appear in Jesus Christ Superstar
Kemsley announced on Instagram that Boy George had withdrawn from the production, where he was scheduled to play King Herod beginning in August.
“The decision has been made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company,” Kemsley wrote. He added that the Culture Club frontman “has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions.”
Kemsley also explained why he believed stepping away was the right move.
“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,” he wrote.
The announcement followed the release of George’s AI-assisted song, We Will Dance Again. On Threads, he described the project by writing, “I call it ‘AI for good.’ Truthfully, I would struggle to write this with a human!”
The reggae-inspired track drew criticism for its lyrics defending Israel’s military actions. One line states, “You say genocide, I say war, when you’re attacked, it’s what the army’s for.”
Broadway actor Patrick Clanton, who previously worked with George in Moulin Rouge, criticized both the song and the singer. George fired back on Threads, writing, “I barely remember you, kudos for getting some media attention off my back because any other time you would barely have garnered a sentence.”
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that protests had been planned outside the London Palladium, while musician Martyn Ware described the song as an “overtly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda.”
George later addressed the wider backlash on X. “It doesn’t matter what I think or what you think,” he wrote. “When will you realise you’re doing NOTHING! … I am even falling out with Jewish friends. The madness knows no bounds.”
Richard Armitage will now perform the dates originally assigned to Boy George.
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