British pop star Boy George has withdrawn from a planned run of Jesus Christ Superstar in London’s West End following intense criticism over a newly released song expressing support for Israel during the ongoing war with Hamas.
The 65-year-old singer was scheduled to appear as King Herod in the production at the London Palladium from Aug. 3 through Aug. 15. However, his manager, Paul Kemsley, announced on social media that Boy George “will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar.”
The decision came just days after the former Culture Club frontman released “We Will Dance Again,” a song inspired by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the conflict that followed.
The lyrics directly address the debate surrounding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, including the lines, “You say genocide, I say war,” and, “When you’re attacked, that’s what the army’s for.”
The song was released with the hashtag “#shalom.”
Boy George said he was motivated to write the song after visiting the Nova exhibition in London, which commemorates victims of the Supernova Music Festival attack, where Hamas terrorists killed hundreds of concertgoers during the Oct. 7 assault.
#Shalom pic.twitter.com/0BfHIrThzO
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) July 26, 2026
According to The Jerusalem Post, the phrase “We Will Dance Again” has become a symbol of resilience and recovery following the attack, which left approximately 1,200 people dead across Israel, including about 364 people attending the music festival.
In a post on Instagram Threads, Boy George defended his decision to address the subject directly.
“Why not put the word ‘genocide’ in a song. Why are people suddenly uncomfortable with that word?” he wrote.
His manager expressed support for the singer’s decision while explaining why he chose to step away from the production.
“George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that,” Kemsley said.
“In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus,” he added.
The production of Jesus Christ Superstar opened Friday and is scheduled to run through Sept. 5. Boy George is still expected to join Culture Club for the band’s planned United Kingdom tour later this year, according to AFP.
The latest controversy is not the first time the singer has publicly supported Israel despite criticism.
In 2017, Boy George performed in Tel Aviv after activists urged artists to boycott Israel. At the time, critics compared performing there to appearing in apartheid-era South Africa, a comparison the singer rejected.
According to previous reporting by Breitbart News, Boy George responded by saying the situations were not comparable and stated that Israel held a special place in his heart.
