Gene Simmons was left 'choked up' while paying tribute to his friend Ozzy Osbourne, who died at the age of 76. The Kiss frontman, 75, grew emotional during an interview on BBC Breakfast as he recalled their first meeting in Boston in the 1970s.
Apologising to presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, Simmons said: 'Sorry, I got choked up. Sorry about that.' He described Osbourne as an 'English gentleman' off stage, contrasting with his 'mad man' stage persona, adding: 'There were no airs about him.'
Simmons called Osbourne a 'singularity', saying: 'It's fair to say that there was never an Ozzy Osbourne before Ozzy, and there never will be another Ozzy. In science, they call it a singularity. He's just a unique and lovable person.'
He also expressed his condolences to Osbourne's wife Sharon and children Jack, Kelly, and Aimee, becoming emotional again when recalling how Osbourne would ask about Simmons' own family. 'I know that right now millions of fans around the world are crying and shocked and can't believe it,' Simmons said.
Osbourne's death was announced by his family in a statement, saying he passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones. The news comes weeks after he performed a farewell show with Black Sabbath at a charity event in Birmingham.
