Bradley Riches Commends Sharon Osbourne's Resilience Following Ozzy's Passing
Bradley Riches has publicly praised his Celebrity Big Brother co-star Sharon Osbourne's remarkable strength in the wake of her husband Ozzy Osbourne's death, while candidly discussing their enduring friendship. The Emmerdale actor, aged 24, and the 73-year-old television personality forged a close bond during their time in the famous reality television house in 2024.
A Friendship Forged in the Celebrity Big Brother House
Since the conclusion of the show, the pair have maintained a strong friendship, reuniting in December for a brunch gathering that included Sharon's daughter, Kelly. This meeting occurred just five months after the passing of Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne, with Bradley expressing profound admiration for the "amazing" duo and their ability to remain resilient amidst profound grief.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Bradley stated: 'They're such amazing people - what they've been through. When you look at Sharon and Kelly, you look at them as very strong women - it is empowering, and I really look up to them. I have so much love and time for them.'
An Unexpectedly Glamorous Reunion
Detailing how their reunion came to be, Bradley revealed: 'We were meaning to meet up for a while and then they lost Ozzy, so obviously it was a hard time for them. At Christmas, we managed to get a date in, I was thinking like McDonald's... Anyways, they were like, "We will meet you at the Claridge's hotel." I was like, "Ok, these people are boujee."'
He added with a touch of humour: 'But it was really nice, and then Sharon got the bill as well, which made it 10 times better!'
Sharon Osbourne to Attend Bradley's Star-Studded Wedding
Bradley will enjoy another significant reunion with Sharon when she attends his highly anticipated, star-studded wedding to his partner, Scott Johnston. The couple became engaged in 2024 and are set to walk down the aisle later this month.
Revealing details about the celebrity guest list, Bradley shared: 'So obviously we've got my new friends from Emmerdale, a couple of them are coming. Heartstopper, some of them. The Big Brother lot, I think all of the Big Brother lot are actually coming. Like David [Potts], Colston [Smith], Nikita [Kuzmin], Sharon, Levi [Roots], ZeZe [Millz], Marisha [Wallace], Ekin-Su [Culculoglu], and other people I've met along the way, like Arlene Phillips, Tasha [Ghouri] from Love Island.'
He continued: 'Yeah, just lots of people I've met through the industry and ones I've shared big moments in my career with. It's going to be really nice.' Reflecting on the extensive list, he joked: 'We were kind of like, obviously we will invite our loved ones and all our friends, and then I looked at the list and went, "Oh my God, I've actually got quite a lot of famous friends, I didn't realise." I was like, "Maybe I am embedded in the industry slowly."'
Bradley Riches' New Book: "Autistically Me"
Alongside his wedding preparations, Bradley has been diligently working on his forthcoming book, titled Autistically Me: How to Understand and Celebrate Our Unique Minds, which is scheduled for release on June 9. The actor, who portrays the first-ever neurodivergent character on Emmerdale, shares his inspiring personal journey and offers practical, real-life guidance for thriving with autism.
Diagnosed with autism at the age of nine and non-verbal until he was ten, Bradley explained the book's purpose: 'It's kind of like my life, so I've never said that my experiences and what my mechanisms are and here's how you can use them. You know the help you can get from them as well, it is about self-acceptance at the end of the day. Understanding your brain.'
The publication also delves into the process of obtaining an autism diagnosis and its significance, as well as exploring how autism can manifest differently across genders.
Portraying Autism on Emmerdale: Pressure and Honour
Discussing the pressure he felt while portraying the first character with autism on Emmerdale, Bradley shared: 'It was kind of kind of scary. When you're advocating and your representing the community you do put extra pressure on yourself. But also I was excited and relieved that there was an autistic role and if you have a lived experience you can tap into things that they've experienced. I was nervous and excited but honoured to do that.'
Autistically Me: How to Understand and Celebrate Our Unique Minds will be available for purchase from June 9.
