Sharon Osbourne Gets Emotional Recalling Ozzy’s Final Days on His First Death Anniversary

The topic of Ozzy’s Final raises many questions. Sharon Osbourne opened her heart on the first anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne’s death, sharing deeply personal memories of the rock legend’s final weeks. In an emotional interview, she revealed details about his last days that had never been shared before, including how close his farewell concert came to never happening. The heavy metal icon passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76, after a decades-long career that defined a genre and touched millions of lives around the world.

Birmingham Pays Tribute to Its Favorite Son

The city of Birmingham marked one year since Ozzy’s death with a day of music and celebration affectionately called Ozzy Day. The event honored one of its most beloved sons, who rose from humble beginnings in the industrial heart of England to become the Prince of Darkness and a global cultural phenomenon. Fans cloaked in black filled the streets, wearing tribute T-shirts to Ozzy or Black Sabbath. They visited the sites most connected to the heavy metal icon, turning the city into a living memorial.

At New Street station, long queues formed as fans posed with the mechanical Ozzy the bull statue, which had been specially dressed up for the occasion. Everyone who took a photo received a free commemorative Polaroid, creating keepsakes of a day that meant so much to so many. Fans continued leaving flowers, messages, and personal tributes at Black Sabbath Bridge, and the memorial reflected the lasting connection that Sharon said her husband always felt with his hometown.

Some travelers came from much further afield to be part of the celebration. A five-piece group called Bostin Brass, who had performed at Ozzy’s funeral procession, played on the streets throughout the day, including a set at the Black Sabbath bench. Their music filled the air with both sadness and celebration, perfectly capturing the spirit of the occasion. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra also performed a special show dedicated to Ozzy in the Bullring, adding a touch of classical elegance to the day’s events.

Among the crowds were Julie Sawyer and her daughter Holly, who traveled from Nottingham. Julie lost her husband, Holly’s father Paul, in March 2025. Paul was a huge fan of Ozzy and had Crazy Train played at his funeral. Julie said it was emotional to be in the city for Ozzy Day, but they could not be anywhere else. Another group had flown in from Monterrey, Mexico, just to pay tribute in Birmingham, demonstrating the worldwide reach of Ozzy’s legacy.

Sharon’s Emotional Radio Interview

Sharon herself was in the city to mark its first-ever Ozzy Day. She said Ozzy was proud of his humble beginnings and became tearful when asked why it was important for her to be there. “Because I can’t forget what Birmingham did for Ozzy,” she said, visibly choked up. Although he rose to global stardom, she added, he never forgot his roots. That connection to his hometown remained one of the defining features of his character throughout his life.

Then came the part that fans had not heard before. In an interview with a BBC local radio station, Sharon revealed that the Back to the Beginning benefit show, which became Ozzy’s final performance, could easily not have happened at all. “Ozzy knew that he was dying. He was told two weeks before the show that he was dying, and they said ‘don’t do the show,'” she said. The musician, who had been living with Parkinson’s Disease, had other ideas. He refused to let his diagnosis stop him from doing what he loved most.

Sharon recalled that Ozzy simply said, “Yeah, right. Get out of here,” when doctors advised him against performing. The concert, which benefited a range of UK charities, gave her husband one final chance to do what he loved most. It was a gift to be surrounded by his loyal crew, his friends, his family, and his fans. Sharon said Ozzy’s bond with his audience never faded and that performing one last time gave him the farewell he had hoped for. She added that he delivered a truly memorable performance despite his failing health.

For the last two weeks of his life, Sharon said Ozzy was the happiest she had ever seen him. “It was just so great to see him every day smiling,” she said, describing the event as an absolute joy that proved a huge boost at a very difficult time. She explained that Ozzy had struggled with depression in his final months because he knew his life was coming to an end. He also feared he would no longer be able to sing, making that final successful performance even more meaningful.

A Message for the Fans

When asked what her message would be for fans on the anniversary, Sharon did not hesitate. “As Ozzy would say, ‘When you want to remember me, just yank up the music really loud, as loud as you can get it, and just head bang,'” she said. It was a message that perfectly captured Ozzy’s spirit, his love for his fans, and his desire for his legacy to be one of joy rather than sorrow. His energetic performances and trademark headbanging became defining parts of his stage presence, and Sharon later said that performing for his fans remained his greatest passion until the very end.

Kelly Osbourne’s Heartfelt Tribute

Sharon’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, shared her own tribute on Instagram, addressing her late father directly in a lengthy and emotional post. “One year ago today, the world changed forever,” she began. “I know you are still with me. I feel you in the quiet, in the wind, in every song that stops me in my tracks, in the smell of your cologne.” Kelly’s words painted a picture of a grief that remains raw, yet also of a love that continues to provide strength and comfort.

“The hardest part isn’t that you’re gone. The hardest part is that I can’t touch you. I can’t hold your hand,” she wrote. “I always thought life was hard, but life without you has been the hardest thing I have ever had to endure.” Kelly said she catches glimpses of her father in her young son. “Your smile. Your spirit. Your mannerisms. Sometimes it stops me in my tracks.” She called Ozzy a true working-class hero who never forgot what he came from, a sentiment that echoed her mother’s words about his enduring connection to Birmingham.

Bandmates Remember Their Friend

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi also marked the anniversary, writing on Instagram that he still struggles to believe Ozzy is gone. “I watch him on YouTube and it feels like he’s still here with us,” Tony wrote. He said the two stayed in touch almost every week, often talking about their health and what had been happening in their lives. He thanked fans for the love and respect they have shown Ozzy and said he was grateful the original Black Sabbath lineup reunited one last time for the Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham. “There will never be another Ozzy. I miss you, my dear friend,” he said.

Bassist Geezer Butler echoed that sentiment, posting that he was grateful the original lineup had one last chance to share a stage together before Ozzy’s death. “One year ago today, hard to believe. I am so glad we were able to do the final show, back in our hometown, just a couple of weeks before Ozzy left us. Gone in body, but his legend lives on. Such incredible memories. Ozzy forever!” Drummer Bill Ward, the fourth member of Sabbath’s classic lineup, kept his tribute short and devastatingly simple. On Facebook, he wrote: “Every day, there is a persistent silence. We miss you so much.” The band’s official account posted a simple farewell: “Ozzy Forever!”

Ozzy’s Final: Ozzy’s Own Words on Death and Legacy

As family, friends, bandmates, and fans reflected on Ozzy’s legacy, the anniversary also renewed interest in how the rock legend had spoken about his own death years before it happened. Before his passing, Ozzy shared how he wanted the world to view his death on several occasions, and it was rarely in solemn terms. In interviews spanning more than a decade across press and television, he spoke with honesty and sarcasm about his own mortality and what his funeral service might include.

In 2011, The Times featured a special piece where Ozzy answered questions from regular people. When asked if it was morbid to plan your own funeral, he answered with his characteristically blunt humor. “I honestly don’t care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes ’em happy — but I do want to make sure it’s a celebration, not a mope-fest,” he shared. He suggested playing pranks at the service, like someone knocking from inside the coffin, or showing a video where he demands a second opinion from his physician regarding his passing.

“It’s worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That’s why I don’t want my funeral to be sad. I want it to be a time to say ‘thanks,'” he said. In a 2016 interview with NME, he chose A Day in the Life by The Beatles as the song he wanted played at his funeral, though he added that he needed a few more years to think it over. During a 2020 appearance on Good Morning Britain, when asked how he would like people to remember him, Ozzy quickly answered with his trademark wit: “Bats taste like [expletive].” It was the perfect final word from a man who never lost his sense of humor, even when facing the end of his extraordinary life.