Ozzy Osbourne dead: Black Sabbath legend dies aged 76 as family issue statement

Ozzy Osbourne has died surrounded by love at the age of 76, a statement from his family confirmed tonight. It read: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time." The touching words were signed off by his wife, Sharon, and children, Aimee, Kelly, Jack, and Louis.

His death comes just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath to perform a huge farewell concert for their fans. Ozzy launched the band, which is known for its metal hits like Paranoid and Heaven and Hell, before going on to have huge success as a solo artist.

He reunited with his bandmates on stage at Villa Park earlier this month to an elated crowd. "You've no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the audience.

For his "final bow", the gig featured performances from some of Ozzy's favourite acts, including Metallica and Guns' n' Roses. While he appeared well on stage, his health battles have been difficult in recent years.

In 2020, the star disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he took a break from touring in 2023 following extensive spinal surgery.

He suffered a fall at home in 2019, which exacerbated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike accident in 2003, preventing his No More Tours 2 shows from proceeding in Europe and the UK.

The tour had previously been rescheduled several times due to illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues.

He launched his twelfth studio album Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which reached number three and two in the UK charts, respectively.

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and worked various jobs, including factory work, before joining forces with his school friend Geezer Butler in several bands.

Ozzy went on to sell more than 100 million albums worldwide, including his work both as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath.