Boy George pulls out of Jesus Christ Superstar at London Palladium amid Israel song backlash

Earlier this week, the Culture Club singer released a song titled “We Will Dance Again”, which feature lyrics voicing support for Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks, and denying that a genocide is happening in Gaza.The backlash to the song was swift, and on Thursday (July 30) night, it was announced that George, 65, would no longer be appearing in the role of Herod opposite Sam Ryder in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, a part he was scheduled to begin on Monday (August 3).Writing on Instagram, the “Karma Chameleon” singer’s manager Paul Kemsley explained that “after careful consideration”, he had decided that Boy George should no longer appear in the London Palladium production.Boy George will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London PalladiumPA Wire“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,” Kemsley wrote.“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 had been due to play Herod, a cameo role who appears for one song and is played in this production by a rotating cast of celebrities, from August 3-15.Other Herods in the current revival include Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Julian Clary and Layton Williams, with Richard Armitage taking on the role in George’s place. Boy George’s name has been removed from the cast section of the production’s website.The Culture Club musician shared the track to Instagram earlier this weekPA WireIn his statement, Kemsley continued: “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 Standard has contacted Jesus Christ Superstar’s producers for comment.Boy George’s song “We Will Dance Again”, translated as “עוד נרקוד” in Hebrew, takes it title from the phrase used by people in Israel following the music festival attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.Boy George performed as part of San Marino’s entry at Eurovision 2026, amid calls to boycott the competition over Israel’s inclusionAFP/GettyThe track opens with the lyrics: “You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for / Does it get ugly? You bet it does / When I know you wanna kill every last one of us.”Read MoreThe lyrics refute the findings of the United Nations, who after a two-year investigation said in September 2025 that that Israel had “flagrantly disregarded” international law and was committing genocide in Gaza. In June, officials in Gaza said that the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing conflict had passed 73,000.Earlier this year, former The Voice UK judge Boy George took part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest as part of San Marino’s semi-final act.Asked about the countries boycotting the event over Israel’s inclusion, the 80s pop star said: ”I have many Jewish friends, whom I’ve known since I was 15 or 16 years old. Are people asking me, as someone with principles, to turn my back on my Jewish friends? That is not going to happen. It will never happen.”