Singapore deports Australian man over Ariana Grande incident

SINGAPORE — Singapore deported on Sunday an Australian man at the end of a nine-day jail term for rushing film star Ariana Grande during the Asian premier of "Wicked: For Good", local media reported.

The man, Johnson Wen, was sent back to Australia "and has been barred from re-entering Singapore", the city-state's immigration authority said in a statement quoted by broadcaster CNA.

On the opening night of the much-hyped "Wicked" sequel on November 13, Wen jumped a barricade and put his arm around Grande.

He was arrested hours later and subsequently charged with "being a public nuisance". Last week, a court sentenced Wen to nine days in jail.

Video clips, which have gone viral online, show Wen wrapping his arm around the shocked star before jumping up and down and smilingly waving to the crowd.

Grande's co-star Cynthia Erivo then rushes to her defence and the man is grabbed by security guards and dumped back over the barricade.

This picture by The Straits Times taken November 13, 2025 and provided on November 14 shows a man (C) accused of attacking pop star Ariana Grande at the premiere of the film "Wicked: For Good" in Singapore. (Credit: AFP)

Singapore District Judge Christopher Goh, who issued the jail sentence, called the Australian "attention seeking".

Wen, who is alleged to have disrupted other global sports events and concerts, "showed a pattern of behaviour" which suggested that he will do it again, the judge had said before last week's ruling.

The jail term was far below the maximum penalty afforded by law: three months in jail, a fine of $1,500, or both.

Wen has told the court he was "wrong" to think his actions would bear no consequences and promised not to repeat the act.

The incident did not stop the premiere from going ahead, with the cast huddling around Grande before continuing down the yellow carpet.

Grande, 32, began her career as a teen on Broadway before embarking on a hugely successful pop career.