British pop icon Boy George has pulled out of a slate of appearances as Herod in a London production of Jesus Christ Superstar, his manager said, amid controversy over the singer’s recently released pro-Israel song “We Will Dance Again.”

“After careful consideration, I have decided, in my capacity as Boy George’s manager, that he will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium,” Paul Kemsley said in a statement Thursday.

“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,” he said.

Though Kemsley did not explicitly name backlash over “We Will Dance Again” as what prompted the decision, he appeared to refer to it, writing: “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 continued. “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........

© The Times of Israel