Why Ozzy Osbourne quit ‘ridiculous' US to return to UK

News.com.au

3 days ago

Ozzy Osbourne has performed with his longtime band, Black Sabbath, for the very last time.
The performance comes after the musician quit his decades-long residence in the US and permanently moved back to England with his wife, Sharon, Realtor reports.
The 76-year-old rocker revealed in 2022 that he and his spouse, 72, were plotting a return to the U.K.
The British singer explained at the time that he had grown frustrated with his life in the 'f***ing ridiculous' US.
He also cited gun violence in the country as another reason for his desire to leave.
'Everything's f***ing ridiculous [in America]. I'm fed up with people getting killed every day,' he told The Observer.
'God knows how many people have been shot in school shootings.
'And there was that mass shooting in Vegas at that concert. … it's f***ing crazy.'
However, the move was postponed after Ozzy, who has Parkinson's disease, faced several health setbacks that required him to remain in California for longer than he had hoped.
It now appears the Osbournes have officially bid farewell to America once and for all.
Sharon explained to Planet Rock her husband was finally able to relocate to their home in the UK in March of this year.
The former talk show host noted at the time he was thrilled to be joining his Black Sabbath 'brothers' just in time for their final onstage appearance together.
'He's coming over in March. His brothers [in Black Sabbath], he's excited to be here with them,' she shared in February, noting his move would mark the couple's permanent relocation.
Less than four months after Ozzy's return to the UK, he made a milestone return to the stage, when he and his Black Sabbath bandmates — Tony Lommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — performed together for the first time in 20 years at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham.
The performance took place at the Back to the Beginning, an event that was organised by Sharon to give her husband the chance to end his onstage career with a bang.
An emotional Ozzy took the opportunity to thank the band's fans for their support over the years.
'I just want to say to you on behalf of the guys in Black Sabbath and myself, your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle that we do,' he told the crowds toward the end of the show.
'Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you; we love you.'
Ozzy's farewell was made all the more emotional by another milestone event that unfolded backstage shortly before he began his performance: his daughter Kelly Osbourne's engagement to Slipknot rocker Sid Wilson, who popped the question to the stunned reality TV star at the event.
Video shared of the moment showed Wilson grabbing Kelly's hand and telling her: 'Kelly, you know I love you more than anything in the world—' only for Ozzy to interject with a hilarious quip, joking: 'F*** off, you're not marrying my daughter.'
Despite Ozzy's ribbing, Wilson followed through with his proposal, getting down on one knee in front of her parents to ask that all-important question.
Although Kelly has not yet revealed where — or when — she and Wilson plan to tie the knot, the couple are primarily based in Los Angeles, where the 'Lego Masters Jr.' host spent much of her childhood, alongside her parents and her siblings Jack and Aimee.
Luckily, should she decide to wed back in the U.S., her parents still have a property that they can use when they travel there in the form of a $US49 million ($A75 million) mansion that they purchased in 2015.
The mansion boasts seven bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.
Although the home is off the market, the Osbournes listed many of their other properties in preparation for their permanent move across the pond.
Since announcing their move, they have listed their two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom condo in the highly sought-after Sierra Towers building no less than three times, beginning in May 2023 for $US4,795,000 ($A7.3 million).
It was relisted in June that same year for the same price, before it was removed just a few days later.
Finally, they put it back on the market in August, this time at the discounted price of $US4,495,000 ($A6.8 million) — a move that appears to have secured them a buyer.
However, they did accept an offer that was $US145,000 ($A221,000) less than the ask.
At the time, the home sale helped propel Ozzy and Sharon one step closer toward their goal of quitting the US once and for all in favour of a return to the UK, where they own a stunning estate in Buckinghamshire.
After announcing their decision to move back to their home country in 2022, the couple faced several delays, largely as a result of Ozzy's health struggles.
The Black Sabbath frontman revealed in 2020 he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
In an interview on 'Good Morning America,' he explained he had been experiencing nerve pain that led to the discovery of his condition.
He also said in January 2024 that he had undergone a staggering 'seven surgeries in five years,' including a procedure on his spine in September 2023.
Speaking about their move in a July 2024 episode of their eponymous podcast, Sharon admitted that they were desperate to return to the UK full time, but that 'every time we're set to go, something happens with Ozzy's health.
'We'll get there,' she added. 'We want to go back so bad, but we'll get there. Won't we, Ozzy?'