Boy George exits musical after pro-Israel song backlash

British singer Boy George has pulled out of a West End production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" after backlash over his pro-Israel song "We Will Dance Again".

His manager, Paul Kemsley, said the 65-year-old musician, whose real name is George Alan O'Dowd, "will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium". Boy George had been due to play King Herod from August 3 to 15.

The song includes the lyrics "you say genocide, I say war" and "when you're attacked, that's what the army's for". Boy George said in a social media post that the song was "created using AI" and said he was inspired by the Nova exhibition in London, which commemorates victims of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on a music festival and other Israeli communities.

An AFP tally based on official data says 1,221 people were killed in the October 7 attack. Gaza's health ministry says more than 70,000 people have been killed in Israel's ensuing offensive against Hamas, and the United Nations considers the ministry's figures reliable. Since a truce came into effect last October, at least 1,214 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.

Kemsley said Boy George had never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, but added: "In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus."

"Jesus Christ Superstar" was opening Friday for a run until September 5. Culture Club is scheduled to tour the UK in December.