Boy George Cancels West End Run After Pro-Israel Song Release

Boy George has withdrawn from his role as King Herod in the London West End revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the Jerusalem Post reported on August 1, 2026. The 1980s pop star was scheduled to begin performances at the London Palladium on Monday as part of the production’s rotating cast. His exit comes 24 hours after he released “We Will Dance Again,” a song dedicated to the victims of the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Actor Richard Armitage will replace Boy George in the London production. Paul Kelmsley, the singer’s manager, announced the cast change without directly mentioning the backlash but alluded to it in a statement. “George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that,” Kelmsley said. “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.” In “We Will Dance Again,” Boy George rejects claims of genocide against Israel and proclaims, “If you’re ever confused, I stand with the Jews.” Earlier on Friday, the singer lashed back at online vitriol, posting on X/Twitter: “What is most shocking is the amount of gay folk attacking me.” He added: “If you support terrorism you can, in the words of Divine, ‘Take your toolkit and go f*** a garage.’” Boy George also said: “When I say ‘they want to kill every last one of us,’ I am also talking about us queers, not just the Jewish community.” The singer defended his decision to release the song, saying he believes artists should be free to express their views even when they are unpopular. Boy George was set to play King Herod, the Judean ruler known for his expansion of the Second Temple and for his role in the biblical story reflected in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera.