Boy George live at the 80s Live Party 2026 at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, July 18, 2026. Photo: IMAGO/Future Image via Reuters Connect

Boy George has pulled out of the “Jesus Christ Superstar” production at the London Palladium after facing backlash for his new pro-Israel song “We Will Dance Again,” the singer’s manager announced on Thursday on social media.

Paul Kemsley said a statement that “after careful consideration,” he decided the Culture Club singer, 65, would no longer appear in the in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. “The decision has been made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company,” he wrote. “We are grateful for the professionalism and understanding they have shown throughout and sincerely wish everyone involved every success with the production.”

“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,” Kemsley added. “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.”

Kemsley also apologized to fans who purchased tickets for “Jesus Christ Superstar” and hoped to see Boy George in the production. The singer was set to star as King Herod from Aug. 3-15 as part of the show’s rotating cast, taking over from Richard Armitage. The latter will now continue to perform in the show. Boy George was meant to share the role of Herod with Armitage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Simon Russell Beale, Layton Williams and Julian Clary.

Earlier this week, Boy George released a pro-Israel song on social media with a Hebrew title that translates to “We Will Dance Again.” On the track, he sings: “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.” In the chorus he sings: “We will dance again / And there will be no war / But if you’re ever confused / I stand with the Jews / I don’t feel brave, I just need to behave like a human.”

Boy George has received backlash from many for expressing strong support for Israel in the song. He responded to the criticism in multiple social media posts. “It doesn’t matter what I think or you think,” he wrote on X. “When will you realise you’re doing NOTHING! It’s a fucking joke. I am even falling out with Jewish friends. The madness knows no bounds.”

“So many people are calling me and saying I should pipe down and let it blow over and while they mean well I’m afraid it’s not an option,” he added in a separate post on X on Friday. He said he was most shocked about the criticism he has received from members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“But I am smart enough to realize that what you are cannot disguise who you are,” he explained. “When I say ‘they want to kill every last one of us’ I am also talking about us queers not just the Jewish community. When will you wake up? Regardless of which side you take, I am disgusted by anyone who posts hatred against anyone but refuses to show their face. If you have something powerful to say then you should have the guts to show the world who you are but most, if not all of you, are unwilling to show your faces and the only reason is self interest.”