Ozzy Osbourne is gearing up for one final electrifying performance, and he’s determined to make it count.
The legendary rocker, who has been battling Parkinson’s disease and recovering from multiple surgeries, has announced that his last-ever Black Sabbath show will take place in Birmingham this summer. It will be a momentous occasion—the first time the original band members have played together in two decades.
Despite his health struggles, Ozzy remains defiantly optimistic. Speaking on Ozzy’s Boneyard on SiriusXM, the 76-year-old reflected on his journey with a mix of gratitude and characteristic wit.
“You know what, 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 continued, acknowledging the hurdles he has faced over the years: “I may be moaning about how I can’t walk as well, but as I look down the road, there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me, and they didn’t make it. I’m trying to get back on my feet.”
His friend and host Billy Morrison reassured him, pointing out just how much progress he has made: “Ozzy, you are so much better than you were just a year ago.” Ozzy agreed, but admitted the process has been slow.
“Yeah, but the recovery is very slow. That [expletive] surgeon. Plus the Parkinson’s. When you get up in the morning, you just jump outta bed. Oh, I have to balance myself, you know? But you know, I’m not dead, as you say. I’m still actively doing things.”
© GettyThe announcement of Black Sabbath’s reunion has stunned fans, given that just last year, Ozzy himself doubted whether he’d ever perform again.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2024, he confessed: “I would love to, but I can’t stand up right. Maybe I’ll do something one day. I miss it terribly.”
© InstagramNow, that dream is becoming a reality. The original lineup—Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward—will reunite at Villa Park on July 5 for what promises to be a historic farewell.
The concert, set in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, is a homecoming in every sense of the word.
The show will not only be a celebration of the band’s iconic legacy but also a meaningful charity event, with profits going to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. The choice of charities was deeply personal for Ozzy and his wife, Sharon Osbourne.
Sharon, who has been by Ozzy’s side throughout his health battles, was present at the official concert announcement at Villa Park, where she proudly held up a football jersey with Ozzy’s name emblazoned on the back.
© Getty ImagesThe couple share three children together—Aimee, Kelly, and Jack—and she has remained his rock through it all. While Ozzy is thrilled to return to the stage, Sharon has admitted it will be an emotional and physically challenging night for him. “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this,” she shared. “Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilise. It affects different parts of the body, and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
For Ozzy, it’s not just about the music—it’s about proving to himself and his fans that he can still do what he loves, even in the face of adversity.
Ozzy’s health struggles go far beyond his Parkinson’s diagnosis. His biggest challenges stem from a horrific fall in 2019 that dislodged metal rods in his back—rods that had been placed there following a 2003 quad bike accident. In a brutally honest interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ozzy didn’t hold back about the toll these surgeries have taken on him.
“The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled,” he admitted. “I thought I’d be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one, they put a [expletive] 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 [expletive] up.”
And yet, through all of this, Ozzy remains as feisty and unfiltered as ever. Despite the struggles, he is looking ahead—and he’s doing it with his signature humour.
In a candid moment, he even joked about a recent disagreement with Sharon over cannabis, claiming he has “ten years left” to live. While the comment may have been tongue-in-cheek, there’s no denying that Ozzy is focused on making the most of his time.
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