Ariana Grande is ‘taking a step back’ from public life amid speculation over her health
Ariana Grande is ‘taking a step back’ from public life amid speculation over her health
Shania RussellSun, August 2, 2026 at 8:29 PM UTC
0
Ariana Grande on ‘Eternal Sunshine’ tourCredit: Katia TemkinKey Points -
Ariana Grande is taking a break from public life as speculation about her health continues.
The singer will conclude her Eternal Sunshine tour on September 1 before her retreat.
She will no longer join her Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey for a West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George.
Ariana Grande is stepping out of the spotlight after curtains close on her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
The Grammy-winner is taking an unplanned break from the public eye, after her tour wraps in London on Sept. 1.
“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” a representative for Grande told PEOPLE on Sunday.
As part of her break, Grande will no longer appear in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, PEOPLE confirmed. The production was set to open at London’s Barbican Centre next summer and would have seen her reunite with Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey.
She “cannot wait to support the brilliant team bringing this project to life,” a source close to Grande told PEOPLE.
Ariana Grande on InstagramCredit: Ariana Grande/Instagram
In the meantime, Grande has 13 shows remaining in her Eternal Sunshine tour, with dates in Chicago and London.
“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily,” a rep for the singer said. “And then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”
Despite the discourse surrounding her health, the rep added, “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Advertisement
Regarding the demands of her concerts, the source told the outlet, “[Ariana] 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.”
Grande’s health status has been a hot button topic over the past few years, with fans expressing concern about her physical appearance and speculating about her health. The discourse ramped up after her tour kicked off in June and reached new heights in July, following the release of her latest single “Petal,” and its accompanying music video.
Ariana Grande at the Golden Globes in Beverly Hills on Jan. 11Credit: Earl Gibson III/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty
Grande has largely kept quiet about the discourse surrounding her health, but previously spoke out about the discomfort of having her body observed and remarked upon by strangers.
In December 2024 podcast interview, the Positions singer shared that she feels she has been a “specimen in a petri dish,” since she was 16 years old.
“I’ve heard every version of what’s wrong with me, and you fix it and then it’s wrong for different reasons,” she said while visiting the Oui Oui Baguettepodcastwith Wicked co star Cynthia Erivo. “ When you’re young and you’re hearing all kinds of things, it’s hard to protect yourself from that noise.”
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
She added, “In today’s society, there’s a comfortability we shouldn’t have at all [in] commenting on other’s looks or what we think is going on behind the scenes or [with their] health. I know what the pressure of that noise feels like, and it’s been a constant resident in my life.”
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
