Ozzy Osbourne fans gather in Birmingham to honour star who was ‘like family'
A cortege, along with the Osbourne family, is expected to stop at the Black Sabbath bench, where thousands of tributes, balloons and flowers have been left.
The Black Sabbath frontman, who played a farewell gig in the city earlier this month, died at the age of 76 last Tuesday.
One Osbourne fan called Goose told the PA news agency that they discovered heavy metal as a teenager.
Fans arrived early to get their spot near the Black Sabbath Bridge in Broad Street, Birmingham (Jacob King/PA)
'That's when I found, like millions of people around the world, that there was music that was for us, something that understood us,' they said.
'We knew that there was somebody out there that felt the way that we did and it was a constant presence.
'Ozzy helped give that to the world. He was a family member. He felt like a family member to so many people and he touched so many people's lives.'
Evie Mayo, from Wolverhampton, said the heavy metal star had inspired her and everyone in Birmingham as she waited by the Black Sabbath Bridge for his cortege to arrive.
She told PA: 'I think he was so influential, he was such an inspirational person. I think he really impacted everyone here, especially in Birmingham as well.
'Now that he's not here any more, you can feel the impact of it. He inspired a lot of people and he was a great person.'
She added: 'He inspired me by… I love his music, absolutely love his music. I'm learning guitar so that I can learn some of his songs.'
The hearse carrying Osbourne will make its way down Broad Street to the Black Sabbath Bridge from around 1pm on Wednesday.
Fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes around the city, including at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street, to honour the heavy metal star who was born in the Aston area of Birmingham.
Members of the public have also signed a book of condolence, opened by Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which is currently holding an exhibition titled Ozzy Osbourne (1948-2025): Working Class Hero.
While organising the procession, Birmingham City Council collaborated with the Osbourne family, who funded all the associated costs.
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, said: 'Ozzy was more than a music legend, he was a son of Birmingham.
'Having recently been awarded the freedom of the city and following his celebrated appearance at the Back To The Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral.
'We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We're proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city in giving him the farewell he deserves.'
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne (PA)
Broad Street will be closed to through traffic from 7am and buses and trams will be diverted during this time before the road re-opens when the event finishes.
Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates – Terence 'Geezer' Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward – were recently given the freedom of the city of Birmingham, which recognises people's exceptional service to the city.
The group, which formed in 1968, is widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal.
Osbourne, who also had a successful solo career, found a new legion of fans when he appeared in the noughties reality TV series The Osbournes, starring alongside his wife Sharon and two youngest children, Kelly and Jack.
The music star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, performed his last gig on July 5 in a concert that also saw performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N' Roses.
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