Mark Gatiss is brilliant in this series – just don't call it cosy crime
Many a fictional detective has an extracurricular talent that feeds into their work; Sherlock Holmes and his violin; Inspector Morse and his crossword skills; Columbo's fluency in several languages.
In Mark Gatiss' new crime series Bookish, the co-creator and co-writer of Sherlock stars as Gabriel Book, for whom the detective work is the extracurricular talent.
Book is an eccentric antiquarian bookshop owner who is also adept at solving mysteries. He draws on his encyclopaedic literary knowledge to help figure out motives, methods and the psychology behind all manner of crimes.
Book regularly helps out the local police, led by the affable Inspector Bliss (Elliot Levey), and if anybody queries his involvement, he tells them he 'has a letter from Churchill'. (A bit like Doctor Who's psychic paper, the mere mention of it seems to satisfy anybody who asks).
Bookish is set in London in 1946, a less common setting for period drama; Gatiss, a long-time detective fan (as well as Sherlock he has adapted several of Agatha Christie's Poirot stories for British TV, and starred in the series Marple), has said it's a favourite time period of his, given the state of the world: women suddenly empowered (although expected to return to their kitchens), lots of weapons brought back by soldiers, a radical government, and a sense of hope. But no shortage of criminal activity.
We first meet Book when a young man, Jack (Connor Finch), freshly released from prison, shows up for a job he's been given at the bookshop. Jack moves in with Book and his wife Trottie (Bridgerton 's Polly Walker), who runs a specialty wallpaper shop next door to the bookshop. Gabriel and Trottie seem very much in love – but they have a secret: theirs is a 'lavender marriage', the term given to a marriage where one or both parties are gay, when such a thing is illegal. The pair have long been best friends, having met as children, and Trottie is aware of Book's 'proclivities', which must be kept secret. Especially from the police he spends so much time with.
Jack is initially daunted by both Book and his books (all of which are 'catalogued' in a manner as oddball as the man himself), and understandably baffled that the local coppers defer to Book on criminal matters. But he soon comes around – and learns that he hasn't been taken in by the couple by coincidence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
24 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
What to stream this week: The Mitford sisters and five more picks
This week's picks include a period romp about the British aristocracy in the 1930s, a documentary about Billy Joel, and a soap-tinged melodrama starring Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman. Outrageous ★★★½ (BritBox) Told with a giddy energy that matches the bottles of champagne repeatedly being popped, Outrageous is a period romp about the British upper class that traverses the fine line between farce and tragedy. The show's historic subject is the Mitford sisters – six daughters of the aristocracy who became a microcosm of Europe's ructions in the 1930s. Influencers in a tabloid headline era, they were the closest of siblings who eventually became adversaries. You couldn't make this story up if you tried. Really, really tried. It's 1931 and Nancy (Bessie Carter) serves as wry narrator – she's a budding novelist whose own family will provide irresistible material. Diana (Joanna Vanderham) is 'the beauty', soon to leave her Guinness heir husband for Britain's leading fascist, Sir Oswald Mosley (Joshua Sasse). Unity (Shannon Watson) will go beyond that – she befriends Adolf Hitler. Jessica (Zoe Brough) becomes an ardent communist. Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones) loves her Angus cattle herd. Deborah (Orla Hill) simply wants a husband and a nice country house. Loading Put two or more of the sisters in a scene and the dialogue has screwball pace and droll retorts. In adapting Mary S. Lovell's 2001 biography, The Mitford Girls, creator Sarah Williams has captured solidarity as a kind of accelerant. Growing up together – their father, Baron Redesdale (James Purefoy), believed girls shouldn't go to school – the young women pushed at boundaries and ached for agency and purpose. Everything is a lark, until it very much isn't (hint: when Unity fangirls Hitler). There's frivolity, some truly sketchy male suitors, and ominous headlines; imagine Wes Anderson adapting Hilary Mantel. The six episodes roll through five years. The budget struggles with the sweep of history – a Nuremberg rally is done with merely dozens of extras – but the personal dynamics are fascinating. It's ultimately a story of how you respond when someone you love crosses a line you never imagined existed. There's a scene between Unity and Jessica, the sadness tinged with memories of joint silliness, that's quietly heartbreaking. Tellingly, the conundrums the Mitford sisters impose on each other couldn't be more timely. The appeal of fascism is debated at family meals, while opposing criticisms are righteously written off as propaganda and misinformation – free speech as an absolute defence is repeatedly invoked, political street violence threatens to become the norm. It's both entertaining and horrifying, as living in the moment often proves to be, with the Bright Young Things insouciance serving as a Trojan horse. The first season concludes in 1936, and I hope there's another – their story has earnt a reckoning. Billy Joel: And So It Goes ★★★(HBO Max) Consisting of two episodes each the length of a sizeable feature film, this documentary about Billy Joel, one of the biggest-selling artists in the history of popular music, will hold an obvious appeal to fans. His music is prominent throughout and Joel discusses his life with pugnacious candour. But it's also of interest to novices, because Joel has long been contradictory: a populist suspicious of his own hits, a superstar who struggled to fit in. 'The most original thing I've done in my life is screw up,' Joel tells directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, and while they don't tug too hard on the many tangled threads of Joel's life and art this comprehensive documentary is a reminder that anyone with such a gargantuan career – over 150 million albums sold, a residency at Madison Square Garden that lasted 10 years – has an intriguing psychological set-up. The 76-year-old, who recently shelved all touring plans because of a normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis, was primarily a storyteller with his lyrics, and talking about them takes him back into the highs and lows – but mostly lows – of his own life. The likes of Pink and Bruce Springsteen offer input, but Joel's real foil here is his former wife and manager Elizabeth Weber. They've been divorced since 1982, but her read on him remains essential. Very unlikely, very Billy Joel. The Hunting Wives ★★½ (Stan) Hightown creator Rebecca Cutter returns with this soap-tinged melodrama about switching from one side of America's cultural divide to the other. When a fresh start transplants Sophie O'Neill (Brittany Snow, The Night Agent) and her family from the East Cost to Texas, she becomes fast friends with the cadre of desperate housewives commanded by the wife of her husband's new boss, Margo Banks (Malin Akerman, Billions). The desire for female friendship is an intriguing lens, but the story is taken up with mildly outrageous behaviour and the growing shadow of a murder enquiry. Riff Raff ★★½ (Amazon Prime Video) This American crime-comedy, informed by far better movies from the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino, is less than the sum of its parts: Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Pete Davidson, Gabrielle Union, and Lewis Pullman all have roles in the ensemble cast. Directed by Dito Montiel (A Guide to Recognising Your Saints), the move struggles to lay out the many circumstances required to explain how an unexpected family gathering at the Maine cabin belonging to Harris' Vincent is soon crashed by Murray and Davidson's vengeful gangsters. Nothing really cuts through. Somebody Feed Phil (season 8) ★★★ (Netflix) One of Netflix's longest-running shows, this culinary travel show continues to take Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal from one tasty global locale to the next. More a chatty enthusiast than sombre gourmand, Rosenthal is visibly delighted by good food – his face finds the most delightfully idiosyncratic shapes when he bites into something he enjoys. Phil's format is quick-fire stops, and this latest season fills a major gap in his planner by finally featuring an Australian episode that covers Sydney and Adelaide. The outside perspective makes for a refreshing change. Sold! ★★★½ (Binge) Loading Mark Humphries has been many things on our TV screens, from sketch satirist to game show host, but he may well have found his defining purpose with this tragicomic documentary about Australia's housing crisis. As a self-deprecating truth-seeker working with long-time collaborator Evan Williams and The Chaser 's Craig Reucassel, Humphries manages to cut through the unsettling numbers, partisan policies, and grim ramifications of a housing market that, over the course of this century, has flipped from inclusive to exclusive. The explanations are concise and bittersweet – it's your choice to laugh or cry.
The Age
24 minutes ago
- The Age
What to stream this week: The Mitford sisters and five more picks
This week's picks include a period romp about the British aristocracy in the 1930s, a documentary about Billy Joel, and a soap-tinged melodrama starring Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman. Outrageous ★★★½ (BritBox) Told with a giddy energy that matches the bottles of champagne repeatedly being popped, Outrageous is a period romp about the British upper class that traverses the fine line between farce and tragedy. The show's historic subject is the Mitford sisters – six daughters of the aristocracy who became a microcosm of Europe's ructions in the 1930s. Influencers in a tabloid headline era, they were the closest of siblings who eventually became adversaries. You couldn't make this story up if you tried. Really, really tried. It's 1931 and Nancy (Bessie Carter) serves as wry narrator – she's a budding novelist whose own family will provide irresistible material. Diana (Joanna Vanderham) is 'the beauty', soon to leave her Guinness heir husband for Britain's leading fascist, Sir Oswald Mosley (Joshua Sasse). Unity (Shannon Watson) will go beyond that – she befriends Adolf Hitler. Jessica (Zoe Brough) becomes an ardent communist. Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones) loves her Angus cattle herd. Deborah (Orla Hill) simply wants a husband and a nice country house. Loading Put two or more of the sisters in a scene and the dialogue has screwball pace and droll retorts. In adapting Mary S. Lovell's 2001 biography, The Mitford Girls, creator Sarah Williams has captured solidarity as a kind of accelerant. Growing up together – their father, Baron Redesdale (James Purefoy), believed girls shouldn't go to school – the young women pushed at boundaries and ached for agency and purpose. Everything is a lark, until it very much isn't (hint: when Unity fangirls Hitler). There's frivolity, some truly sketchy male suitors, and ominous headlines; imagine Wes Anderson adapting Hilary Mantel. The six episodes roll through five years. The budget struggles with the sweep of history – a Nuremberg rally is done with merely dozens of extras – but the personal dynamics are fascinating. It's ultimately a story of how you respond when someone you love crosses a line you never imagined existed. There's a scene between Unity and Jessica, the sadness tinged with memories of joint silliness, that's quietly heartbreaking. Tellingly, the conundrums the Mitford sisters impose on each other couldn't be more timely. The appeal of fascism is debated at family meals, while opposing criticisms are righteously written off as propaganda and misinformation – free speech as an absolute defence is repeatedly invoked, political street violence threatens to become the norm. It's both entertaining and horrifying, as living in the moment often proves to be, with the Bright Young Things insouciance serving as a Trojan horse. The first season concludes in 1936, and I hope there's another – their story has earnt a reckoning. Billy Joel: And So It Goes ★★★(HBO Max) Consisting of two episodes each the length of a sizeable feature film, this documentary about Billy Joel, one of the biggest-selling artists in the history of popular music, will hold an obvious appeal to fans. His music is prominent throughout and Joel discusses his life with pugnacious candour. But it's also of interest to novices, because Joel has long been contradictory: a populist suspicious of his own hits, a superstar who struggled to fit in. 'The most original thing I've done in my life is screw up,' Joel tells directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, and while they don't tug too hard on the many tangled threads of Joel's life and art this comprehensive documentary is a reminder that anyone with such a gargantuan career – over 150 million albums sold, a residency at Madison Square Garden that lasted 10 years – has an intriguing psychological set-up. The 76-year-old, who recently shelved all touring plans because of a normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis, was primarily a storyteller with his lyrics, and talking about them takes him back into the highs and lows – but mostly lows – of his own life. The likes of Pink and Bruce Springsteen offer input, but Joel's real foil here is his former wife and manager Elizabeth Weber. They've been divorced since 1982, but her read on him remains essential. Very unlikely, very Billy Joel. The Hunting Wives ★★½ (Stan) Hightown creator Rebecca Cutter returns with this soap-tinged melodrama about switching from one side of America's cultural divide to the other. When a fresh start transplants Sophie O'Neill (Brittany Snow, The Night Agent) and her family from the East Cost to Texas, she becomes fast friends with the cadre of desperate housewives commanded by the wife of her husband's new boss, Margo Banks (Malin Akerman, Billions). The desire for female friendship is an intriguing lens, but the story is taken up with mildly outrageous behaviour and the growing shadow of a murder enquiry. Riff Raff ★★½ (Amazon Prime Video) This American crime-comedy, informed by far better movies from the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino, is less than the sum of its parts: Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Pete Davidson, Gabrielle Union, and Lewis Pullman all have roles in the ensemble cast. Directed by Dito Montiel (A Guide to Recognising Your Saints), the move struggles to lay out the many circumstances required to explain how an unexpected family gathering at the Maine cabin belonging to Harris' Vincent is soon crashed by Murray and Davidson's vengeful gangsters. Nothing really cuts through. Somebody Feed Phil (season 8) ★★★ (Netflix) One of Netflix's longest-running shows, this culinary travel show continues to take Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal from one tasty global locale to the next. More a chatty enthusiast than sombre gourmand, Rosenthal is visibly delighted by good food – his face finds the most delightfully idiosyncratic shapes when he bites into something he enjoys. Phil's format is quick-fire stops, and this latest season fills a major gap in his planner by finally featuring an Australian episode that covers Sydney and Adelaide. The outside perspective makes for a refreshing change. Sold! ★★★½ (Binge) Loading Mark Humphries has been many things on our TV screens, from sketch satirist to game show host, but he may well have found his defining purpose with this tragicomic documentary about Australia's housing crisis. As a self-deprecating truth-seeker working with long-time collaborator Evan Williams and The Chaser 's Craig Reucassel, Humphries manages to cut through the unsettling numbers, partisan policies, and grim ramifications of a housing market that, over the course of this century, has flipped from inclusive to exclusive. The explanations are concise and bittersweet – it's your choice to laugh or cry.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'In the pantheon of rock gods': tributes flow for Ozzy
Elton John says Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne was a "huge trailblazer" who "secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods". He joined Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and other famous faces in paying tribute to the British heavy metal singer after his death on Tuesday. Elton posted on Instagram: "So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. "He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. "He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx." Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi said it was "brilliant" to reunite with the band just weeks before Osbourne died, saying the singer "really wanted" to perform together again and "felt at home". He told BBC Radio 4: "It is really a shock. It's really hit me today to be honest, but yeah, a terrible shock." On their reunion concert, Iommi said: "It was good for all of us, and lovely to be able to get together for a final thing. I mean, we didn't realise it was going to be this final. We didn't expect him to... but he hasn't looked well for a while." Wood joined Osbourne at Black Sabbath's last gig at Villa Park, Birmingham, earlier this month. He posted on X: "I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. "What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham." Singer Yungblud, who sang Black Sabbath's Changes at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert on July 5, said he was "heartbroken" by the news and called Osbourne "the greatest of all time". "I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room," he wrote in a social media post. Motorhead said they had lost a "dear friend" in a post that recalled the band's late vocalist Lemmy's friendship with Osbourne. "We lost our dear friend today today. Ozzy was a pioneer, a guiding force for all in hard rock and metal, and a great guy too. "Lemmy and Ozzy were brothers in arms who enjoyed many adventures together, and his loss is seismic. RIP Ozzy, we will always love and celebrate you ...", they wrote. AC/DC posted that Osbourne's death was a "great loss to all that loved him", with Metallica members calling him an "icon" and "mentor" while sharing photos from rock photographers Ross Halfin and Noah Abrams. "He taught us how to play in the big leagues while at the same time being warm, welcoming, engaging, and all around brilliant," they wrote on Instagram. Among the other stars paying tributes were David Beckham, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Queen guitarist Brian May and US movie star Adam Sandler, who said he felt "so happy" that he was able to meet Osbourne. May said Osbourne's final concert this month "was a glorious way to say goodbye". Aston Villa, Osbourne's home town football club, said it was "saddened" to learn of the star's passing. "Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from," the club said. "The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time." Elton John says Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne was a "huge trailblazer" who "secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods". He joined Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and other famous faces in paying tribute to the British heavy metal singer after his death on Tuesday. Elton posted on Instagram: "So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. "He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. "He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx." Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi said it was "brilliant" to reunite with the band just weeks before Osbourne died, saying the singer "really wanted" to perform together again and "felt at home". He told BBC Radio 4: "It is really a shock. It's really hit me today to be honest, but yeah, a terrible shock." On their reunion concert, Iommi said: "It was good for all of us, and lovely to be able to get together for a final thing. I mean, we didn't realise it was going to be this final. We didn't expect him to... but he hasn't looked well for a while." Wood joined Osbourne at Black Sabbath's last gig at Villa Park, Birmingham, earlier this month. He posted on X: "I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. "What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham." Singer Yungblud, who sang Black Sabbath's Changes at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert on July 5, said he was "heartbroken" by the news and called Osbourne "the greatest of all time". "I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room," he wrote in a social media post. Motorhead said they had lost a "dear friend" in a post that recalled the band's late vocalist Lemmy's friendship with Osbourne. "We lost our dear friend today today. Ozzy was a pioneer, a guiding force for all in hard rock and metal, and a great guy too. "Lemmy and Ozzy were brothers in arms who enjoyed many adventures together, and his loss is seismic. RIP Ozzy, we will always love and celebrate you ...", they wrote. AC/DC posted that Osbourne's death was a "great loss to all that loved him", with Metallica members calling him an "icon" and "mentor" while sharing photos from rock photographers Ross Halfin and Noah Abrams. "He taught us how to play in the big leagues while at the same time being warm, welcoming, engaging, and all around brilliant," they wrote on Instagram. Among the other stars paying tributes were David Beckham, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Queen guitarist Brian May and US movie star Adam Sandler, who said he felt "so happy" that he was able to meet Osbourne. May said Osbourne's final concert this month "was a glorious way to say goodbye". Aston Villa, Osbourne's home town football club, said it was "saddened" to learn of the star's passing. "Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from," the club said. "The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time." Elton John says Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne was a "huge trailblazer" who "secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods". He joined Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and other famous faces in paying tribute to the British heavy metal singer after his death on Tuesday. Elton posted on Instagram: "So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. "He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. "He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx." Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi said it was "brilliant" to reunite with the band just weeks before Osbourne died, saying the singer "really wanted" to perform together again and "felt at home". He told BBC Radio 4: "It is really a shock. It's really hit me today to be honest, but yeah, a terrible shock." On their reunion concert, Iommi said: "It was good for all of us, and lovely to be able to get together for a final thing. I mean, we didn't realise it was going to be this final. We didn't expect him to... but he hasn't looked well for a while." Wood joined Osbourne at Black Sabbath's last gig at Villa Park, Birmingham, earlier this month. He posted on X: "I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. "What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham." Singer Yungblud, who sang Black Sabbath's Changes at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert on July 5, said he was "heartbroken" by the news and called Osbourne "the greatest of all time". "I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room," he wrote in a social media post. Motorhead said they had lost a "dear friend" in a post that recalled the band's late vocalist Lemmy's friendship with Osbourne. "We lost our dear friend today today. Ozzy was a pioneer, a guiding force for all in hard rock and metal, and a great guy too. "Lemmy and Ozzy were brothers in arms who enjoyed many adventures together, and his loss is seismic. RIP Ozzy, we will always love and celebrate you ...", they wrote. AC/DC posted that Osbourne's death was a "great loss to all that loved him", with Metallica members calling him an "icon" and "mentor" while sharing photos from rock photographers Ross Halfin and Noah Abrams. "He taught us how to play in the big leagues while at the same time being warm, welcoming, engaging, and all around brilliant," they wrote on Instagram. Among the other stars paying tributes were David Beckham, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Queen guitarist Brian May and US movie star Adam Sandler, who said he felt "so happy" that he was able to meet Osbourne. May said Osbourne's final concert this month "was a glorious way to say goodbye". Aston Villa, Osbourne's home town football club, said it was "saddened" to learn of the star's passing. "Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from," the club said. "The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time." Elton John says Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne was a "huge trailblazer" who "secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods". He joined Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and other famous faces in paying tribute to the British heavy metal singer after his death on Tuesday. Elton posted on Instagram: "So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. "He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. "He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx." Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi said it was "brilliant" to reunite with the band just weeks before Osbourne died, saying the singer "really wanted" to perform together again and "felt at home". He told BBC Radio 4: "It is really a shock. It's really hit me today to be honest, but yeah, a terrible shock." On their reunion concert, Iommi said: "It was good for all of us, and lovely to be able to get together for a final thing. I mean, we didn't realise it was going to be this final. We didn't expect him to... but he hasn't looked well for a while." Wood joined Osbourne at Black Sabbath's last gig at Villa Park, Birmingham, earlier this month. He posted on X: "I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. "What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham." Singer Yungblud, who sang Black Sabbath's Changes at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert on July 5, said he was "heartbroken" by the news and called Osbourne "the greatest of all time". "I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room," he wrote in a social media post. Motorhead said they had lost a "dear friend" in a post that recalled the band's late vocalist Lemmy's friendship with Osbourne. "We lost our dear friend today today. Ozzy was a pioneer, a guiding force for all in hard rock and metal, and a great guy too. "Lemmy and Ozzy were brothers in arms who enjoyed many adventures together, and his loss is seismic. RIP Ozzy, we will always love and celebrate you ...", they wrote. AC/DC posted that Osbourne's death was a "great loss to all that loved him", with Metallica members calling him an "icon" and "mentor" while sharing photos from rock photographers Ross Halfin and Noah Abrams. "He taught us how to play in the big leagues while at the same time being warm, welcoming, engaging, and all around brilliant," they wrote on Instagram. Among the other stars paying tributes were David Beckham, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Queen guitarist Brian May and US movie star Adam Sandler, who said he felt "so happy" that he was able to meet Osbourne. May said Osbourne's final concert this month "was a glorious way to say goodbye". Aston Villa, Osbourne's home town football club, said it was "saddened" to learn of the star's passing. "Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from," the club said. "The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time."
