logo
The two Mr Ps on life in the classroom: ‘I've worked with teachers who have been hit or kicked'

The two Mr Ps on life in the classroom: ‘I've worked with teachers who have been hit or kicked'

The Guardian3 days ago
You can learn a lot about British society from what children bring into classrooms. Take sex toys, Lee Parkinson says. He co-hosts the highly popular Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast) with his brother Adam – they both work in primary schools – and their inboxes are bursting with stories from teachers of X-rated show-and-tells.
'You would not believe,' Lee says.
'Inundated,' Adam nods. 'Honestly, a variety of objects.' There was the child who brought in the Harry Potter wand that wasn't. 'And the kid was like: 'I tried to get it working but it just kept buzzing.'' Then there was the child whose pretend hearing aid turned out to be a cock ring. And the second world war gas mask that was 'a full-on, PVC gimp mask', Lee adds. Adam, who works as a higher learning teaching assistant, recalls a time when one pupil proudly showed him his end-of-year gift for the class teacher: a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. 'He'd taken it off his mum's nightstand.'
The Parkinsons' latest book, How to Survive the School Year, is a portrait of the alarmingly high rates of embarrassing incidents in the classroom and beyond. Anecdotes sent in by their audience of teachers and parents shows that sports days are a hotspot for comical mishaps. Adam once split his trousers playing football with the kids, and had to deliver his big presentation on behaviour later that day in a pair of rugby shorts.
The brothers – I want to call them boys, because all their riffs and ribbing seem to summon their childhood selves to the minature table we are sitting at in Adam's classroom in Walkden, Greater Manchester – happily bat stories to and fro.
In publicity material, Adam is the one who pulls silly faces, while Lee does his best to look sensible but fun. In person, the dynamic is more nuanced. Lee, at 40, is the eldest of three (middle brother Ryan works in sales) and the original Mr P. He coined the name when he launched his ICT (information and communications technology) training business in 2013, which he combines with teaching a Year 4 class part-time at another nearby primary, and a platform to coach teachers in the use of AI to reduce their admin.
Lee very much wears the long trousers, metaphorically and literally. Today he has helped himself to the only adult chair in Adam's classroom ('He took my teacher's chair!'). Adam, 36, is wearing shorts, having returned victorious from a tri-golf tournament with his Year 6s – he's still clutching the trophy – and fidgets in a tiny plastic seat. They're constantly in competition mode, and still vie for the position of 'number one son'. (Lee is now on top, having been awarded an MBE last month.)
Adam is known as The Other Mr P, which you'd think might put him at a disadvantage. He blurted it out when he was introducing himself on the very first podcast, and the name stuck.
So he othered himself? 'I don't mind, because Lee worked tirelessly for five, six years before we started,' he says. 'And this whole thing has led to a life that I never thought possible.'
Back in 2018, the Mr Ps were on holiday in Florida, sipping beer in a hot tub after a day in one of the parks, sharing stories from their classrooms. 'We were just trying to outdo each other with the most ridiculous thing that's happened in our schools,' Lee says. 'I thought: 'We should sit down and record these. Do a podcast'.'
Adam had never heard of a podcast but later he came up with the name over dinner in Buffalo Wild Wings in Kissimmee, Florida. Lee bought the microphones as soon as they got home, and the podcast took off. During lockdown, it became a sort of communal staffroom for teachers who were estranged from colleagues, working remotely, or supervising the children of key workers. Now Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast) has had 7.5m downloads, and in October the brothers take their Let That Be a Lesson … tour to venues from Edinburgh to Exeter.
But while their three books (the previous two being Put a Wet Paper Towel On It and This Is Your Own Time You're Wasting) are full of things going comically wrong, increasingly the Parkinsons receive messages from teachers about things going seriously wrong. Burnout, workload and behaviour are the recurrent issues.
'The number one reason for teachers leaving the profession is workload,' Lee says. Although he believes 'that's going to get overtaken by behaviour … There is a growing number of cases where teachers and senior leaders are being verbally, or in some cases physically, assaulted by parents. And there's the online trolling – parents openly being negative about teachers online.'
Lee is hyper-alert to attacks on teachers. We meet in the midst of a heatwave and the fan is going full pelt. Lee enters into a tirade against 'the person who designed primary schools and decided to make it too cold in winter and the surface of the sun when we get a bit of nice weather. What was the mindset? Why do you want to stitch us up as teachers?' Even summer term, with its fetes and sports days, dupes staff with 'a false sense of security'. Truth is, they're behind on the curriculum having crammed for SATs, an exam which Lee thinks has 'no bearing on children's academic development other than an understanding that life's not fair and most of the important things in your existence will be decided by idiots like Michael Gove'.
He is especially exercised about Ofsted. 'It is, in my opinion, one of the main reasons we've got 40,000 teachers leaving the profession a year ... Ofsted say they raise standards and improve lives. Well, they were found to be contributing to the death of a teacher,' Lee says, referring to Ruth Perry, the head whose death by suicide was linked by the coroner to her school's Ofsted inspection. 'So you can't say they improved lives. She wasn't the first and she won't be the last unless things drastically change.'
He has had teachers contact him with similar stories. 'Why create a framework that makes teachers' workflow go through the roof exponentially, plunging them into this boiling pot of stress and worry?'
Changes to Ofsted inspections are due to be published in September, but the proposals have already been met with opposition. 'I think they're not capable of reforming themselves. What we need is a working party of people outside Ofsted, working with Ofsted to make necessary changes.' This sounds like a job he might enjoy. 'I'd have a discussion,' he says. 'But I don't think they'd want to hear from me.'
Lee didn't always feel like this. He started teaching in 2007, 'straight from uni'. He'd just turned 22. Labour's Sure Start programme was in full swing. 'He loved it,' Adam says. 'And I loved the thought of doing what he was doing.' At the time, Adam had been going 'from job to job': Next, Co-op, Iceland, Odeon cinema, six months of data handling at Ofsted ('I didn't know what Ofsted was when I worked there. If I had, I would have messed up all the things!') and volunteering as a rugby coach in a primary school.
One day, his aunt, a children and families officer, asked him to volunteer one-to-one with a child who was struggling with his behaviour, and in isolation out of class. 'I struck up a real bond with him. I absolutely fell in love with working in a school.'
It's fair to say that Adam was able to relate. Of the three brothers, he was the one who their parents were always being called in to school to discuss. Mostly for wrestling with other children and making rude gestures. He was diagnosed with ADHD at the end of primary school. 'I was medicated through secondary school,' he says. 'It helped me massively.' He would take his meds each morning, then button his blazer. 'And I'd look in the mirror, because I knew the saying, Looking smart's halfway to being smart, and I swear I was a different child.'
Adam points to Lee, and the empty space between them, which has acquired the identity of their middle brother. 'They were a lot more able in terms of the work than I was. And I don't mind admitting that. I've done well, I think, with what I've got – to get to where I am.'
'My mum and dad always say, if he'd been the first, they'd never have had another kid,' Lee offers.
'Oh, he loves this!' Adam says, feigning indignation – or perhaps not feigning. His legs are bouncing wildly in that tiny chair. In the way of the best family joshing, it's both good-natured and close to the bone. You get the feeling they can – and often do – go on for hours.
'Are they not Mum and Dad's words?' Lee asks.
'MBE! This guy!' Adam shrieks.
'I'm just relaying information,' Lee says, leaning back in his teacher chair with a wink.
'What was the card you got on Father's Day for Dad?' Adam says.
'From your number one son?'
'No! It wasn't!' Adam's voice rises in triumph. 'It was, 'Sometimes you just get it right first time.''
For a moment, it seems as if they never left home. They've always been close and more alike than Ryan. 'We like spicy food. He hates spicy food. We were always drinking blackcurrant squash, but he'd have orange,' Adam says.
Both Mr Ps are parents themselves. Lee has 14-year-old triplets and a 21-year-old stepson. Adam has a daughter, nine, and a six-year-old son.
Increasingly, he has posted about his experience as what he calls 'a Send dad [special educational needs and disabilities] … Because it took me a long time to accept what the situation was, and learn,' he says. After his son was diagnosed with autism, 'I would say I grieved for the life I expected. I worried if he would ever make friends, be invited to parties, or join a sports team.'
Adam's son's diagnosis has led him to reflect on his own. 'Sometimes autism and ADHD really clash.' While his son enjoys being read the same story repeatedly, Adam finds the repetition challenging. 'The last thing I ever want to do is not be there for my son and not give him what he needs,' he says. He has started to wonder whether taking 'tablets again would help me … relax a bit more. I'm a bit of an overthinker. I do struggle with that.'
His son has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) and attends special school, having left mainstream education when the one-to-one care his EHCP legally entitled him to had to be shared with other children who needed support but didn't have EHCPs.
The schools minister has recently refused to rule out replacing EHCPs, which have become fraught with problems, since the number has risen by 140% in the past 10 years while councils run deficits. Should they be scrapped? 'There's got to be a legally binding document to ensure children get the education they deserve,' Lee says. 'But is the current system working? No. Do education, care and health have to be rolled up or can there be a separate education plan? Are we able to create something that can make mainstream a lot more inclusive?'
The Parkinsons speak every day. Do they ever get sick of each other? 'He's like my fifth child,' Lee says. 'Adam can be one of the funniest people on the planet. There's times I think: how do you function as an adult?'
'I feel I bring his silly side out,' Adam says. 'And at times he brings my serious side out, and we complement each other. But you couldn't have two me's because … Well, I wouldn't know how to plug a mic in.'
For all the jokes, they have had days where they've gone home and cried. Adam has worked in a number of schools, including in Manchester. 'There are days when you're driving home, thinking, wow, that was a really hard, sad day. I've worked with teachers who have been hit or kicked … I've had all the children crying. And that's the saddest thing for me. Because for a lot of children, if they have a tough home life, this is their escape, their solitude.'
'We're faced with the biggest retention crisis we've ever seen for what should be the best job in the world,' Lee says. But he wouldn't recommend teaching to his children. 'Your job as a parent is to protect your kids. I feel like the current education system can break people – the expectations put on teachers, where you're expected to do more with less, and you're constantly made to feel like a failure, and you're under this incredible pressure and the sort of compassion fatigue teachers feel, working in a system that no matter what you do, no matter how many hours you dedicate – you are still seeing the system fail some children.'
But sometimes a teacher will message them or come up to them – this happened to Adam at the tri-golf tournament earlier – and tell them that the podcast has kept them going, or brought them back to teaching, because, Adam says, 'we shine a light on the amazing things and the hilarious things'.
'It's a real privilege to have quite a big impact on a profession that is so special,' Lee says. What they really want is for teaching to be 'respected and valued by everyone'.
How to Survive the School Year: An Essential Guide for Stressed-Out Grownups is published by HarperCollins (£16.99). To support the Guardian order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mel C posts sweet message to Spice Girls' Mel B after she misses her star-studded wedding to Rory McPhee
Mel C posts sweet message to Spice Girls' Mel B after she misses her star-studded wedding to Rory McPhee

The Sun

time21 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Mel C posts sweet message to Spice Girls' Mel B after she misses her star-studded wedding to Rory McPhee

MELANIE C issues a sweet message to her Spice Girls bandmate Mel B after she missed her lavish London wedding. The popstar was absent from Mel's happy day at St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday, which saw Emma Bunton, 49, the sole other girl group member in attendance. 7 7 7 7 New bride Mel, 50, sealed her wedding to groom Rory McPhee with a kiss outside the architectural landmark. The Wannabe singer stunned in a gown adorned with dazzling pearl detail around the collar and sleeves and a long flowing veil as she stepped out of the iconic venue. Ahead of the ceremony, fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton led the star-studded arrivals in a pale pink frock and matching hat as she rocked up with husband Jade Jones and son Beau, 17. Yet Mel C, who forged a solo career post-band with tracks including I Turn To You, has now revealed the reason for her no-show. She uploaded a snap showing the happy couple together with the words: "So so happy for you both and beyond gutted I couldn't be there. "Excited to celebrate with you really soon. Yipee!" In her next slide, Mel showcased a snap of her performing in Stockholm, Sweden. She added the words: "Bit of a soggy one last night." SPICE UP YOUR LIFE It comes after it was revealed that 51-year-old Victoria Beckham wouldn't be attending the nuptials. But making sure that Mel felt the love, she shared an Instagram tribute post ahead of her big day with Rory. Mel B's hen do celebrations Posh Spice took to her Instagram stories to share a stunning snap of her and her bandmate looking all glammed up. She added the sweet caption: "Sending love to you @officialmelb! "@rorymcphee is a very lucky man! xx." Victoria, as well as fellow bandmate Geri, were not present at the ceremony. The MailOnline originally told how Victoria would be out of the country and therefore would not be present to watch Mel walk down the aisle. A source said: "Victoria has long standing plans out of the country and she simply can't be there. "She adores Mel, they get on really well despite their paths going in opposite directions. It's a real shame. "There is no issue between them, they haven't fallen out. It's just one of those things." Meanwhile Geri is said to have been absent because of her tense relationship with Mel. The two women had a pretty big falling out when Mel B revealed that she had an intimate relationship with Geri when the band was starting out. Mel made the confession while she was being interviewed for Piers Morgan 's Life Stories in 2019. Geri was stunned and upset by Mel's admission, and even more saddened when Mel allegedly did not issue an apology. 7 7 7

Fiona Phillips opens up about the heartbreaking real reason behind marriage troubles after ‘blaming menopause'
Fiona Phillips opens up about the heartbreaking real reason behind marriage troubles after ‘blaming menopause'

The Sun

time22 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Fiona Phillips opens up about the heartbreaking real reason behind marriage troubles after ‘blaming menopause'

FIONA Phillips has opened up about the heart-breaking real reason behind her marriage troubles after "blaming menopause". The broadcaster and TV presenter, 64, explained that she and her husband, Martin Frizell, 64, were having the most horrendous rows. 2 2 Fiona was working three days a week on GMTV and packed other days with work too. "She explained: "On top of my weekly newspaper column, I was also presenting a radio show, another TV programme and various one-off documentaries." "When I became the main presenter on GMTV in January 1997 I felt like the luckiest woman alive But for for the entire time, Fiona had been combining her role as a TV presenter with caring for her parents. "My mother had Alzheimer's and until her death the previous year aged just 66 I'd looked after her every weekend. "Not long afterwards we discovered my father had also fallen victim to the disease. "Then I'd dash home to pick the boys up from school, give them some tea and help with their homework before falling into bed and doing it all over again the next day," reports The Daily Mail. Fiona revealed that her and Martin were having horrendous rows that spiralled over ridiculous things like emptying the dishwasher. "II need more help around the place, Martin!' I'd yell. 'You expect me to do everything. "And then he'd come back at me: 'Well, what do you want me to do? Give up my job? "No, I just feel like it all comes down to me. "Well, let's get a live-in nanny then!' he'd yell. "I don't want a live-in nanny taking over my house!' I'd shout back. Fiona was caught up in so many conflicting emotions – she knew the job was destroying her but it also gave her security and purpose. "I knew I wasn't giving the boys the attention they needed but I didn't want to pay someone else to do that when I'd been brought up to believe that was my job. "And I loved Martin and our family, so why couldn't I just stop yelling at everyone?" In summer 2008, Fiona agreed a deal and left GMTV almost 12 years after she'd first sat on that famous red sofa. Martin explained: "In 2008 Fiona left GMTV. Television can be a brutal world and things keep changing. "If a new boss comes in and wants to shake up the format then that's what happens – there's not really much a presenter can do about that. "It was a massive knock to her pride and confidence. Fiona really doesn't have a big ego, unlike so many people in the world of TV, but it was still a jolt. "During that time she spent a lot of time with her dad. She went down to see him every weekend and also during the week when she could. "When Phil passed away, that was incredibly hard for her." In 2014, Martin took over at ITV 's Loose Women and, after a spell sorting that out, became Editor of This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby the following year. Fiona said: "But my TV career didn't recover in the same way. Bits and pieces of work came in but I never felt completely right. "Was I worried that there might be something sinister lurking beneath the surface? That Alzheimer's could one day be coming for me too? "On one level I did think I would get the disease, but there was also another part of me that was in a strange sort of denial about it all. "This illness has devastated so much of my life already, surely it's not going to come for me too?' I'd tell friends. "Lightning doesn't strike twice. Well, even if it does, it definitely doesn't strike three times.' "Was that wishful thinking? Maybe, but there were times when I truly believed it." Meanwhile Fiona and Martin's marriage was coming under increasing strain. Fiona is now sure the disease was at least partly responsible, but at the time neither of them could see it. Instead she revealed that she just became more and more disconnected from Martin and the boys. "You've totally zoned out of our family and our marriage,' he would say to me. "Don't be so bloody ridiculous!' I'd yell back. "But, if I'm honest, I think he was right. I just didn't seem to have the energy for any of it any more." Martin eventually moved out and the couple separated for a few weeks but then reconciled. "You've been so distant for so long,' he told me. 'I just need to know – is this going to work or not?' "Well, I want it to work,' I said. "And so do I,' he said. 'But things have got to change.' "And I knew he was right. The only problem was I didn't know how to change things." In 2020 Fiona decided that, having caught Covid earlier that year, she was now suffering from Long Covid. "Or was I using that as another excuse to the world for why my behaviour had changed? I just don't know," she explained. Around then Fiona also lost her confidence around driving and even popping to the shops, which she'd done a million times before, became terrifying. The simplest things like going to the bank would induce anxiety attacks. Fiona added: "There were mood swings too, which meant even I was finding my behaviour unpredictable. "And yet, despite not wanting to be like that, I couldn't do anything about it. I felt I'd lost control over my life" During 2021, Dr Louise Newson had been appearing frequently on Martin's show, This Morning. She had become known as the UK's leading expert on menopause. Martin explained to Fiona that if the way she was feeling was down to menopause, then Dr Newson was the person to diagnose it. Louise took blood tests and put Fiona on a course of hormone replacement therapy but things didn't improve. After a series of further investigations and tests the pair received the devasting results. Fiona revealed that the consultant said: 'Yes, so your results are back,' "And yes, I'm afraid to tell you that you do have early-onset Alzheimer's disease. "Martin and I stared at him. Neither of us said a word. We sat rigid, locked in suspended animation between everything our lives had been before this moment and everything they would become beyond it. "I'd only turned 61 at the start of that year. And, while I suppose I had always thought I might get the disease one day, I'd hoped it might be when I was in my eighties or even nineties." "In those first few minutes after the devastating diagnosis, I was angry, too. Really f****** angry. "I know you're not supposed to ask 'Why me?' – and I've never been a moaner – but seriously, this time, "Why me?' What had I done so wrong to deserve this? "It's not like I needed any more lessons in how awful this illness can be, I could write a whole book. "In fact, I had written the book ten years earlier. If it wasn't so bloody awful, it would be funny." "Well, the consultant told us to go home and live as 'normally' as we can,' Martin said flatly." "The next morning Martin got up to go to work, just as he always did. I got up and made a coffee, then went for a walk, just as I always did," wrote Fiona. "What else could we do? Lie on the floor, weeping and wailing? That wasn't going to change anything. "I was determined to keep the diagnosis a tight secret. I hated the thought of becoming an object of gossip or even pity. "I could imagine in the world of TV some of those people I used to work with saying, 'Oh, have you heard about poor Fiona? What a tragedy! "I'd worked so hard to be independent and judged on my merits, so the thought of people patronising me like that was too awful. "Nat was away in the Army, Mackenzie was out with his mates. Everything was normal. But, then, what was our alternative? "There was no Plan B.

Black Sabbath fan Jason Momoa moshes out during Ozzy Osbourne's star-studded farewell show as Dolly Parton, Jack Black and Sir Elton John lead the surprise celebrity tributes to legendary rocker at Villa Park
Black Sabbath fan Jason Momoa moshes out during Ozzy Osbourne's star-studded farewell show as Dolly Parton, Jack Black and Sir Elton John lead the surprise celebrity tributes to legendary rocker at Villa Park

Daily Mail​

time30 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Black Sabbath fan Jason Momoa moshes out during Ozzy Osbourne's star-studded farewell show as Dolly Parton, Jack Black and Sir Elton John lead the surprise celebrity tributes to legendary rocker at Villa Park

Oasis weren't the only rock icons to reunite over the weekend. With 42,000 fans packed into Birmingham 's Villa Park, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath returned to the stage for Ozzy Osbourne 's farewell show - the band's first live performance since 2005. The Brummie band, originally formed in 1968, were back together little more than 24-hours after Britpop legends Oasis launched their long-anticipated reunion tour at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday evening. And they were joined onstage by a host of celebrity friends, among them Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler. But it was Jason Momoa who unexpectedly claimed the spotlight while joining fans in the mosh pit while support act Pantera tore through their own setlist on Saturday night. The Hollywood star sparked a frenzy after clambering into the audience before moshing out with fellow concert goers as the metal band performed Cowboys From Hell. Footage of the incident finds Momoa, 45, removing his hair braid and climbing over the barricade to join raucous fans at the front of the stage. The actor previously sent fans into a frenzy when he arrived on stage to host, admitting Osbourne had inspired every single character he has ever portrayed. 'I f*****g freaked out and told everyone I knew. I gotta get here, I gotta bring my kids. I'm not just a fan, I am obsessed with Sabbath,' he said. 'Every character that I've ever played has been inspired by this music - it's in everything that I am. 'So when the Osbournes' called and asked me to host I was scared as hell, I've never done this before in my life. Other celebrity guests included British star Yungblud, who performed on the night and was later pictured enjoying the show with Ozzy's daughter, Kelly Osbourne. The singer, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, took to stage as part of one of the two mysterious 'supergroups' alongside Nuno Bettencourt, II from Sleep Token and Adam Wakeman. They played a version of Black Sabbath's 1972 hit Changes and dedicated the track to Portuguese footballer Diogo Joto in an emotional touch - following suit after Oasis dedicated their first reunion show to the star. Travis Barker also featured in a second supergroup with fellow drummers Chad Smith and Danny Carey. The three percussionists took part in a 'drum-off' after being introduced by Momoa, with the aim of establishing 'the greatest drummer in the world.' Watching from the sidelines, Barker's TV personality wife Kourtney Kardashian shared a video tribute to the drummer as he showed off his skills. Captioning the Instagram post, she beamed: 'That's my husband.' A second supergroup featured Halestrom singer Lzzy Hale, a self-confessed Sabbath fan who previously revealed she'd been personally invited to perform by Ozzy's wife, Sharon. 'When I was a kid, my ABCs of rock 'n' roll were Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Cinderella and Dio,' she told Yahoo. 'The first riff I ever learned was Heaven And Hell, so you can imagine that my inner-child was screaming at the top of her lungs, "I'd walk on broken glass to get there! I want to play this show!"' Additionally, video messages were aired from some rather more unexpected Sabbath fans - notably Dolly Parton, Ricky Gervais and Sir Elton John. Paying tribute to Osbourne, Sir Elton said: 'You are one of the most remarkable singles of our time... You are the king, you are the legend. 'You've been through so much c**p in the last few years. I hope this is the best day of your life so far.' Elsewhere, actor and musician Jack Black, who previously introduced Osbourne ahead of his induction at the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame last October, entertained fans with a cover of Mr Crowley while appearing via livestream. However, there was one controversial moment during the video tributes as Marilyn Manson featured in one message. Ozzy Osbourne sent fans into a frenzy as he brought the house down in Birmingham 's Villa Park on Saturday night for his final ever performance In the pre-recorded clip, Manson said: 'It is a great honour to be here in this video and I'd like to say congratulations and I love you very much Ozzy.' But, his inclusion left some fans unimpressed after his upcoming gig at Brighton Centre in October was cancelled after pressure from campaigners. Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, was accused by a dozen women of sex abuse, rape, and torture. He has vehemently denied all the allegations. In January, US prosecutors announced that they would not be pursuing charges against Marilyn following a four-year investigation due to lack of sufficient evidence. Manson has previously described Ozzy and Black Sabbath as his biggest inspiration and they have performed together during various tours over the years. Taking to the stage, Osbourne appeared overwhelmed by the support from the cheering crowds as he thanked them in a touching message and poignantly admitted: 'You have no idea how I feel.' Their final show comes amid concerns for the singer's health after he has undergone seven surgeries in the past five years, including a fourth spinal operation in 2023. Osbourne, who has also been battling Parkinson's disease since 2003, plans to keep recording music but is saying farewell to live music in what was a poignant night. After selling out in minutes, over 42,000 fans packed into Villa Park for the aptly-titled Back to the Beginning show, which saw Black Sabbath return to their hometown - 56 years after they formed there.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store