Kelly Osbourne has broken her silence following the death of her father, Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne, describing him as 'the best friend I ever had'. The 40-year-old took to social media to share her grief, writing: 'I lost the best friend I ever had'. Ozzy, known as The Prince of Darkness, died on Tuesday at the age of 76, surrounded by his family at his home in Buckinghamshire.
The Osbourne family released a statement saying: 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.' The statement was signed by Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis. Ozzy's former Black Sabbath bandmates have also issued moving tributes.
Heartbroken fans have been leaving tributes outside the family's Buckinghamshire home, with flowers, candles, and half-drunk pints of beer placed at the gates. In Birmingham, mourners gathered on Black Sabbath bridge to toast the rock icon. Details of Ozzy's final hours have emerged, with reports that an air ambulance crew flew to his mansion and worked for two hours to save his life. He had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and had undergone a strict training programme to perform at his final gig, Back To The Beginning, at Villa Park on July 5.
Ozzy's wife Sharon is said to be utterly devastated. In the lead-up to the final show, she had said: 'Ozzy's working with his therapist every single day. He's doing really well, actually. Ozzy's number one thing in life is his fans, so he's working hard to be ready for them, to make this show the perfect way to end things.' At the concert, Ozzy performed from a black throne as he was unable to stand.
A viral clip from 2016 shows Ozzy surprising Sharon on her birthday live on US talkshow The View, walking out with a bouquet of pink flowers and a jewellery box. Fans have flooded social media with comments, with one writing: 'Ozzy was great, even with all his faults. And Sharon was a saint for staying with him throughout the years.'
