Why is Ariana Grande taking a “massive step back from the public eye”? 

The singer is due to take a “much deserved break” following the Eternal Sunshine tour next month. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, journalist Katie Gallagher said constant speculation and criticism of Grande’s appearance has taken a toll. 

“In probably the past two years, we've seen a lot of Ariana out on the red carpets, doing the media trails, doing all of the junkets,” she said. 

“It's there that people have maybe noticed a big difference in her appearance and she has been getting a lot of scrutiny for it. 

“A lot of people kind of speculate what's going on is their health issues - things that actually I feel like in this day and age, we know better than to be talking about it and to be kind of picking people apart for it.”

Ariana Grande. Picture by: Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE Credit: Imagespace/Alamy Live News.

Grande’s break from show business means she will no longer star in an upcoming musical production in London. 

“The reason we kind of know she's taken a step back is because she was due to actually make her West End debut next summer with Summer in the Park with George,” Ms Gallagher said. 

“And she was going to be with Jonathan Bailey, her Wicked castmate - that was going to be next summer, her big debut, 2027. 

“Her management has actually put out a statement and so have the production saying she'll actually be stepping back from this.”

Empire Street Productions has confirmed that the musical will go ahead without her. 

However, the Barbican, which is due to host the production, said they hoped to see her on a stage there at some point in the future. 

“She started on Broadway as a child,” Ms Gallagher said. 

“It seems like she kind of wanted to go back to that - it feels like a big, drastic decision that she's said a year out from her summer on the West End next summer that actually she's not doing it. 

“She's taken a massive step back from the public eye.”

Main image: Ariana Grande. Picture by: Alamy.com.