Ozzy Osbourne is given final tour of Birmingham – with thousands of fans flooding streets to pay their respects
Ozzy Osbourne has taken his final tour of Birmingham – with his family experiencing the love of thousands of fans who turned out to see the heavy metal star come home.
“We love you, Ozzy!” came the shouts from the crowd as his cortege stopped at Black Sabbath Bridge in the city, a site that has become a shrine to the performer since his death at 76 last week.
His family and loved ones, including his wife Sharon Osbourne and their children Jack, Kelly and Aimee, spent several minutes taking in all the flowers, messages and other tributes left in an outpouring of love from fans.
Jack, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne laid flowers. Pic: PA
Sharon was in tears as she took it all in. Supported by her children, she gave a peace sign to the crowd before returning to the procession vehicles.
Each family member carried a pink rose, wrapped in black paper, tied with a purple ribbon – the traditional Black Sabbath colours. The flowers bearing his name in the hearse were also purple.
Before reaching the city centre, the cortege had travelled past Ozzy’s childhood home in Aston. Just a few weeks ago, he was on stage at Villa Park performing his final gig alongside many of the musicians his music had inspired, from Metallica to Guns N’ Roses to Yungblud.
Heavy metal, reality TV and biting bats: Ozzy Osbourne obituary
Tributes to Ozzy can be seen all over Birmingham. Pic: Reuters
On a hugely emotional day, his presence could be felt throughout the city, with the star’s music playing in pubs and posters paying tribute: “Birmingham will always love you.”
For fans, this was a chance to say not just goodbye, but also thank you to a star who never forgot where he came from. His remarkable achievements from humble beginnings and continued love for his hometown, even when he lived thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, meant that for many, the loss feels incredibly personal.
The Black Sabbath Bridge has become a shrine in recent days. Pic: Reuters
‘The Prince of Laughter – not Darkness’
Graham Wright, a roadie who worked with Black Sabbath in the 1970s and beyond, up to the Back To The Beginning reunion gig at Villa Park, told Sky News he would remember Ozzy not by his traditional nickname, the Prince of Darkness – but as the Prince of Laughter instead.
“It was a shock he left us so soon after [the show],” he said. “The show was tough for him but he was determined to say goodbye to his fans, that was the main thing. It was important for all four of [Black Sabbath] to get back together and do a farewell.
“The tears will be flowing today to see the Ozz man – the Prince of Laughter, not Darkness. He really was. We’ll all miss him.”
Pic: Reuters
‘My mum used to say he was a lovely boy’
Chris Mason, general manager of The Brasshouse pub, which is next to Black Sabbath Bridge, said music by the band and Ozzy’s solo material had been played pretty much “on loop” since his death.
“I’m a metal fan and Ozzy being the godfather of the scene – if not for Ozzy and Black Sabbath, we wouldn’t have heavy metal,” he said. “This is what Birmingham is about, bringing people together, and Ozzy and Black Sabbath did that.
“He was Mr Birmingham and his family have brought him back.”
Mohabbat Ali, who used to live on the same street as Ozzy’s childhood home, said the property had become one of the focal points for tributes in the city.
Describing what it was like living near him, he said: “He played guitars, very loud at night sometimes, but my mum used to say he was a lovely boy.”
From an era of preening rock gods, Ozzy was the real deal
The sea of black was always a given – but this wasn’t about respecting funeral traditions. Ozzy himself had previously said he wanted his send-off, when it came, to be a celebration and not a “mope-fest”.
This was his final tour in the city that meant so much to him.
For fans, he meant so much to them.
For his family, the emotion was raw.
Sharon, his soulmate, has spent her life and career organising his shows, and it was clear how hard this day was for her.
After they left, fans flooded the streets to lay flowers.
Not since David Bowie has an artist’s death prompted such an outpouring of emotion. From an era of preening rock gods, Ozzy was the real deal – one of the most notorious figures in rock, but a man who remained as Brummie as can be.
‘A true legend who never forgot his roots’
Birmingham’s lord mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal, also attended the procession and spoke of the city’s pride in Ozzy.
“What a great honour for us to have him here one last time,” he said. “The love for Ozzy – well, you can feel it in the air.”
The star put both Aston and Birmingham on the map, he said, and always took the time to get to know people.
Mr Iqbal said Ozzy sent him a letter after reading on the mayor’s website biography how he had struggled with dyslexia at school – something the star identified with.
“I’ve got the letter in a frame and it’s in my office… he was just a natural human being, down to earth. You wouldn’t have known he was a rock star – but he was a true legend, who never forgot his roots.”
Entertainment
‘I’m shocked at how fragile I am still’: Cumberbatch and Colman on protecting their sanity from perils of social media
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch says he’s shocked at how “fragile” he still is – despite years in the spotlight and success in the industry.
It might seem like the Doctor Strange star and The Crown actress Olivia Colman have it all when it comes to money and success – but they are also human like the rest of us.
The pair lead the cast of new satirical black comedy The Roses, which sees picture-perfect couple Ivy and Theo Rose – a rising star chef and ambitious architect – raise their two children in California, while chasing their own dreams.
‘I am shocked at how fragile I am’
But behind its dark humour and comic language, the film also looks at the realities of power imbalance, insecurity and wounded pride – in even the strongest of relationships.
And 49-year-old Cumberbatch – whose character faces a major setback in his career – tells Sky News that in real life the glare of social media only intensifies those type of situations.
“I am shocked at how fragile I am still.
“I don’t go anywhere near it [social media] because of that.
“It’s like walking into a place where people want to marry you or kill you. Those extremes.
“I think we will get to a stage, a corporate culture that’s now manifested around it where people are obliged to do that in order to sell their lives, and therefore their brand and what they do for a living.”
Co-star Colman – who’s long-shunned the online world – agrees.
Cumberbatch and Colman in The Roses. Pic: Jaap Buitendijk/ Searchlight Pictures
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“I’m afraid I am very thin-skinned.
“I don’t look at any of it. My husband will look at a review and if it’s nice he’ll show me – but if it’s anything mean he knows to just go ‘don’t look – don’t look.’
“You just have to learn to be thicker-skinned.
“But actually, I think we need people who are sensitive and kind.”
‘Don’t do it… delete it all’
Colman – now 51, and whose leading role in The Favourite bagged her an Academy Award in 2019 – says no amount of experience and success can shield her from criticism.
“My advice to a young’un – sort of dipping their toe into the world of social media for the first time is absolutely don’t do it.
“Delete it all. If you want a happy life, don’t have any of it. I’ve never had it.”
The movie – directed by Meet The Parents’ Jay Roach with The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara – also calls into question the notion of success – asking, is it really possible to have it all?
Or is sacrifice inevitable when it comes to spinning the plates of a high-flying career, marriage and parenthood?
Cumberbatch admits “you can’t do it all without there being a cost”.
“You just have to weigh up what those balances are,” he adds.
Colman says “there are I suppose little sacrifices along the way” – from both sides of a relationship.
The comedy drama offers a fresh take on Warren Adler’s novel The War Of The Roses – and the 1989 hit film adaptation- starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
Colman and Cumberbatch – both producers on the film – insist they weren’t daunted by that though.
“We wanted to find a project to do together, and we have utter respect for the iconic status of the film and book,” explains Cumberbatch.
“Hopefully this will have its own place in the culture – it’s very different, it’s not a remake – it’s a reimagined jumping-on point.”
“But beyond that, it’s very different,” adds Colman.
Former Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa and Barbie’s Kate McKinnon also form the cast.
The Roses is out in UK cinemas now.
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