Ozzy Osbourne has shut down hoaxes claiming his death on The Osbournes podcast, stating: “I’m not going any-fucking-where”.
Towards the end of the boxing day (December 26) ‘New Year’s special’ episode of The Osbournes, the Prince of Darkness took a moment to address unverified claims that he had died. “The thing on YouTube, it’s got ‘Celebrities Who Died Today’, and there’s a picture of me,” he said, pointing out the phenomenon.
With a reference to Monty Python, he humorously clarified: “I’m not dead! I’m not really dead, just a little flesh wound.” Later, his wife Sharon Osbourne poured in on the issue, calling the outlets that have spread this misinformation “sick fuckers”.
Wrapping up on the topic, the Osbournes’ son Jack praised fans who have called out such publications by commenting on their inaccurate reports, before Ozzy looks into the camera and says: “I’m not dead, I’m not going any-fucking-where. And I’m gonna go and do some more gigs before I’m finished, anyway.”
Watch Ozzy Osbourne comment on false claims of his death on The Osbournes podcast below:
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Recently, the rock veteran has been going back and forth between expressing his desire to return to touring, and feeling no longer able to do so. In February, Osbourne cancelled all his upcoming European and UK tour dates and announced his retirement from touring, writing in a statement that that his body was “still physically weak” following intensive treatment for his spine injury, which he suffered after a fall in 2019. He later clarified that he would tour again if doctors allowed him to.
In September, Osbourne declared that he had undergone his “final” surgery, stating that he “[couldn’t] do it anymore”. In an interview later that month, he revealed his intentions to record one more album and hit the road for a tour, with recording for the album slated to take place early next year.
Nonetheless, his son Jack stated in a November interview that Ozzy “will never tour again”, though he was still willing to perform one-off concerts or festivals. This was later verified by Ozzy himself, when he admitted in a separate interview that he might have to “accept the fact” that he might never get the chance to tour again. “I’m not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy,” the former Black Sabbath frontman stated. “What’s the fucking point in that?”
Osbourne’s fall in 2019 had dislodged multiple metal rods which were put in his body after a quad bike crash in 2003, warranting the extensive surgeries since. In 2020, he was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The last time he performed a full concert was in 2018, at the Ozzfest New Year’s Eve bash in California.