Ozzy Osbourne has opened up about his health struggles, revealing he experiences 18 symptoms related to his Parkinson's disease. The 76-year-old Black Sabbath frontman, who is preparing for a final reunion show at Villa Park this summer, shared his thoughts in a recent podcast episode of Ozzy Speaks on Ozzy's Boneyard.
In a conversation with Billy Morrison, Ozzy reflected on his condition, saying: 'You know what, Billy, I go on about the way I can't walk and I can't do this, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all of my complaining, I'm still alive.' He acknowledged his mobility struggles but expressed gratitude for being alive and working to regain strength.
Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, specifically Parkin 2, a rare genetic variant. He had previously been diagnosed with Parkinsonian Syndrome in the 2000s. The NHS describes Parkinson's as a progressive neurological condition causing symptoms such as involuntary shaking, slow movement, and stiff muscles. Parkin 2 typically leads to earlier symptom onset.
His health challenges are compounded by a severe fall in 2019 that dislodged metal rods in his back, originally inserted after a 2003 quad bike accident. In an interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ozzy said: 'The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled. I thought I'd be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one, they put a rod in my spine. They found a tumour in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It's pretty rough, man, and my balance is all up.'
Ozzy will reunite with Black Sabbath for a final performance at a fundraising concert at Villa Park on July 5. The event will also feature Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Gojira, and Anthrax. Proceeds will be split between Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorn Children's Hospice, and Cure Parkinson's, a cause close to Ozzy's heart.
