Sharon Osbourne Gets Emotional Recalling Ozzy’s Final Days on His First Death Anniversary

Sharon Osbourne recalled her husband's final days on the first anniversary of his death, revealing how close his farewell concert came to never happening.

As Birmingham honored its hometown hero with music and tributes, Sharon Osbourne gave a deeply personal radio interview that shed new light on the weeks leading up to Ozzy Osbourne's final performance.

Why Birmingham's Tribute Meant So Much to Sharon

As reported by the BBC, the city of Birmingham marked one year since Ozzy's death with a day of music and celebration affectionately called "Ozzy Day," commemorating one of its most beloved sons.

Fans cloaked in black — wearing tribute T-shirts to Ozzy or Black Sabbath — filled the streets, visiting the sites most connected to the heavy metal icon.

At New Street station, queues formed to pose with the mechanical Ozzy the bull statue, which had been specially dressed up for the day. Everyone who took a photo received a free commemorative Polaroid.

Some travelled from much further afield. A five-piece group, Bostin Brass, who had performed at Ozzy's funeral procession, played on the streets throughout the day, including a set at the Black Sabbath bench.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra also performed a special show dedicated to Ozzy in the Bullring.

How Far Fans Went to Honor Ozzy

Among the crowds were Julie Sawyer and her daughter Holly, who travelled from Nottingham. Julie lost her husband, Holly's father Paul, in March 2025. Paul was a big fan of Ozzy and had "Crazy Train" played at his funeral.

Julie said it was emotional to be in the city for Ozzy Day, but they "couldn't not be here." Another group had flown in from Monterrey, Mexico — Jul Aguilera, Sergio Tinajero, Marce Abarca, Leslie Jaramillo, and Yan Nuñez — just to pay tribute in Birmingham.

Sharon herself was in the city to mark its first-ever Ozzy Day. She said Ozzy was "proud" of his "humble beginnings" and became tearful when asked why it was important for her to be there.

"Because I can't forget what Birmingham did for Ozzy," she said, choked up. Although he rose to global stardom, she added, he never forgot his roots.

The Conversation Sharon Says Nearly Stopped Ozzy’s Final Show

Then came the part fans hadn't heard before. In an interview with a BBC local radio station via CNN, Sharon said the "Back to the Beginning" benefit show — Ozzy's final performance — could easily not have happened at all.

"Ozzy knew that he was dying. He was told two weeks before the show that he was dying, and they said 'don't do the show,'" she said.

The musician, who had Parkinson's Disease and was 76, had other ideas. "He said, 'Yeah, right. Get out of here,'" Sharon recalled. She said the concert, which benefited a range of UK charities, gave her husband one final chance to do what he loved most.

"It was a gift to be surrounded by his loyal crew, his friends, his family, the fans." Sharon said Ozzy's bond with his audience never faded and that performing one last time gave him the farewell he had hoped for. She added that he delivered a memorable performance.

Why Sharon Says Ozzy’s Final Two Weeks Were Different

For the last two weeks of his life, Sharon said Ozzy was "the happiest" she had ever seen him.

"It was just so great to see him every day smiling," she said, describing the event as an "absolute joy" that proved a huge boost at a very difficult time.

Sharon said Ozzy had struggled with depression in his final months because he knew his life was coming to an end. She said he also feared he would no longer be able to sing.

When asked what her message would be for fans on the anniversary, Sharon didn't hesitate. "As Ozzy would say, 'When you want to remember me, just yank up the music really loud, as loud as you can get it, and just head bang,'" she said.

Sharon Wasn't the Only One Remembering Ozzy

Sharon's daughter, Kelly Osbourne, shared her own tribute on Instagram, addressing her late father directly in a lengthy, aching post.

"One year ago today, the world changed forever," she began. "I know you are still with me. I feel you in the quiet, in the wind, in every song that stops me in my tracks, in the smell of your cologne."

"The hardest part isn't that you're gone. The hardest part is that I can't touch you. I can't hold your hand," she wrote. "I always thought life was hard, but life without you has been the hardest thing I have ever had to endure."

Kelly said she catches glimpses of her father in her young son. "Your smile. Your spirit. Your mannerisms. Sometimes it stops me in my tracks." She called Ozzy "a true working-class hero who never forgot what he came from."

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi also marked the anniversary, writing on Instagram that he still struggles to believe Ozzy is gone.

"I watch him on YouTube and it feels like he's still here with us," Tony wrote. He said the two stayed in touch almost every week, often talking about their health and what had been happening in their lives.

He also thanked fans for the "love and respect" they have shown Ozzy and said he was grateful the original Black Sabbath lineup reunited one last time for the "Back to the Beginning" show in Birmingham. "There will never be another Ozzy. I miss you, my dear friend," he said.

Bassist Geezer Butler echoed that sentiment, posting on the same platform that he was grateful the original line-up had one last chance to share a stage together before Ozzy's death.

"One year ago today- hard to believe. I am so glad we were able to do the final show , back in our hometown, just a couple of weeks before Ozzy left us. Gone in body, but his legend lives on. Such incredible memories. Ozzy forever!"

Drummer Bill Ward, the fourth member of Sabbath's classic line-up, kept his tribute short and devastatingly simple. In a post on Facebook, he wrote: "Every day, there is a persistent silence. We miss you so much."

The band's official account posted a simple farewell: "Ozzy Forever! ✌🏽🪽"

As family, friends, bandmates, and fans reflected on Ozzy Osbourne's legacy, the anniversary also renewed interest in how the rock legend had spoken about his own death years before it happened.

Before his passing on July 22, 2025, Ozzy shared how he wanted the world to view his death on several occasions, and it was rarely in solemn terms. In interviews spanning more than a decade across press and television, he spoke with honesty and sarcasm about his own mortality and what his funeral service might include.

In 2011, The Times featured a special piece where the 76-year-old answered questions from regular people. A woman named Macy, from Kent, asked if it was "morbid to plan your own funeral?"

She wanted to do something thoughtful, like when Peter Sellers asked for a specific song for his service, which was ultimately a joke because everyone knew he hated that tune.

Ozzy answered with his characteristically blunt humor. "I honestly don't care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes 'em happy — but I do want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest," he shared.

The cultural icon then explained that he would like people to play some pranks at the service, like someone knocking from inside the coffin, or possibly show a video where he demands a "second opinion" from his physician regarding his passing.

In short, Ozzy never wanted anyone to dwell on the sadness or bad memories. He believed planning your funeral was the "right thing," particularly for the sake of the loved ones left behind.

"It's worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That's why I don't want my funeral to be sad. I want it to be a time to say 'thanks,'" he finished.

A few years later, he revealed another possible option for his memorial. The rock star was interviewed by NME in 2016 for a feature about the soundtrack of his life.

The piece included several songs Ozzy would pick for different occasions, like "The Best Band My Kids Introduced Me To" and "The Song I Can No Longer Listen To." In the section "The Song I Want Played at My Funeral," he chose "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles.

"I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' or 'Revolver,'" he clarified, adding that he "definitely" doesn't want his own hits played because he never listened to them, and a happy song wouldn't work either.

Another possible funeral addition came up during a 2020 interview on "Good Morning Britain," where Ozzy appeared with his wife, Sharon. Host Piers Morgan told him that his legacy would never say he "died an ordinary man."

Morgan then asked, "But when you do finally leave this earth [...] when that time comes, what would you like your epitaph to be? How would you like people to remember you?" Without hesitating, Ozzy answered, "Bats taste like [expletive]."