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Ariana Grande taking break from public appearances, exits West End show amid ‘public scrutiny’

Ariana Grande attending the 83rd Golden Globes awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, January 11, 2026. (by Sthanlee Mirador/PA Images via Getty Images)

Ariana Grande plans to step back from public appearances after completing The Eternal Sunshine Tour, her representative confirmed to ABC News.

The singer will also no longer star in the upcoming West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, which would have reunited her with her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey.

“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” her representative said in a statement to ABC News on Sunday.

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the statement continued. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

A source close to Grande said the singer is disappointed to leave the production but remains supportive of the creative team.

“She cannot wait to support the brilliant team bringing this project to life,” the source added.

The representative did not specify what prompted Grande’s decision to step back, though the statement cited “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” tied to her public-facing work and appearances.

Grande’s appearance has been the subject of public discussion and body-shaming in recent years, with renewed online commentary following the release of the music video for her latest single, “Petal,” from her newly released album of the same name.

The Grammy winner has previously addressed comments about her body, including in her 2024 song “Yes, And?,” in which she sings, “Don’t comment on my body.”

Grande launched her The Eternal Sunshine Tour in June in Oakland, California. After wrapping up the remaining U.S. dates, she will head to London, where the tour is scheduled to conclude Sept. 1.

The tour marks Grande’s return to the stage after several years focused on acting and recording music, including her starring role as Glinda in the Wicked films.

After the tour concludes, Grande is next set to appear on the big screen in Focker-in-Law, the latest installment of the Meet the Parents franchise, alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters Nov. 25.

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Over half a dozen sharks seen on video near popular Maine beach in two days

By CNN
Click here for updates on this story    SCARBOROUGH, Maine (WBZ) -- More than half a dozen white sharks have been spotted close to shore in Scarborough, Maine over a 48-hour period, prompting warnings and increased monitoring near a popular beach.The sightings have generated interest from both beachgoers and biologists. Scarborough Marine Resource Officer Daryen Granata said many of the sharks spotted in the area are juveniles, including one captured on video by a paddleboarder."Usually we'll see one or two [sharks] here and there. This is a large volume, larger than I've seen, and I've worked this area for 30-plus years," Granata said. "Five to seven, fairly good-sized sharks, probably six to eight feet. And then there were some drone videos of some larger ones. You know, 10-12 feet, but we're just keeping an eye on it."Granata joined biologists on a boat to survey the waters near a popular sandbar at Pine Point Beach where the sharks have been spotted. The area is also frequently used by swimmers and people fishing from the water."We know it's a place where people recreationally fish in waist-deep water; they typically swim right there," Granata said. "They're right in an intertidal zone. At low tide, it's exposed. At high tide, there's 10 feet of water.""We started flying aircrafts and drones, and making sure that we can keep track. And they've been there consistently for the last 48 hours," Granata added.While it is not rare to see sharks along the New England coast this time of year, some less common sights are becoming more frequent. Like the volume of sharks in Maine and the variety, like the tiger shark, which was reeled in off the coast of Falmouth, Massachusetts, this week.New England Aquarium adjunct scientist John Chisholm, who was with the crew aiming to tag sharks in Scarborough, said warmer water is making the region more hospitable to some sharks."[Tiger Sharks] were just coming up here occasionally. Now they're coming up here reliably year after year because the water temperature is hospitable to them," Chisholm said. "The waters in New England are warming faster than any other places in the ocean around the world.""That's more like numbers we see down when we're tagging off of the Cape; the numbers were a little surprising," Chisholm said about the number of sharks seen in Maine. "But it's definitely not unusual for white sharks to be in this area this time of year.Chisholm said the recent sightings are also a reminder that people entering the ocean are entering a wild environment."Be aware of your surroundings and prepare before you go to the beach because you're going into a wilderness area," Chisholm said.At Pine Point Beach, beachgoer Mark Coleman said sharks are something he keeps in mind while visiting the coast."I don't want to get eaten, but no problem. Sharks are sharks; they'll stay out there, and I'll stay here, no worries," Coleman said.For those who do choose to enter the water, experts recommend avoiding splashing, seals and schools of fish.Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
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