Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman, has died surrounded by his family in Birmingham. His wife Sharon, to whom he was married for more than 40 years, was among those at his side when he passed away this morning.
The family confirmed the news with a heartfelt statement, which read: "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." The statement was accompanied by a location marker reading "Birmingham, England July 22, 2025", confirming the rocker had returned home one final time.
That return had been a long-held ambition. Ozzy and Sharon had discussed moving back to the UK from Los Angeles, with the singer saying he was "desperate to come home". The couple had planned to settle at their Buckinghamshire residence, but the relocation was repeatedly postponed because of Ozzy's declining health.
Speaking in August 2022, Ozzy had voiced his frustration with life in America, citing gun violence as a key reason for wanting to leave. He told The Observer: "Everything's f***ing ridiculous [in America]. I'm fed up with people getting killed every day... God knows how many people have been shot in school shootings. And there was that mass shooting in Vegas at that concert. … it’s f***ing crazy."
His final public appearance came earlier this month at the star-studded Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park, described as his "final performance" with Black Sabbath. Sharon later told Planet Rock that the gig had given Ozzy the chance to come home. "He’s coming over in March. His brothers (in Black Sabbath), he’s excited to be here with them," she said, and when asked about a permanent move, she replied: "Yeah, we are."
During the performance, Ozzy sat on a black throne while bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward played around him. He told the crowd: "I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’re all f****** special. Let’s go crazy, come on." The family has asked for privacy, with the statement signed: "Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis."
