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
Flintoff praises NHS staff who treated him after crash, as doctor says his injuries were ‘among most complex’ he’s ever seen
Andrew Flintoff has praised the “love and compassion” of “superhero” staff in a visit to the hospital that treated him after his crash.
The cricket legend was seriously injured during the incident on the Top Gear track in Surrey in December 2022.
He was airlifted to St George’s in Tooting, with a surgeon calling Flintoff’s injuries some of the most complex he’s seen.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George’s,” Flintoff said, as he returned to the London hospital.
“I came here probably the lowest I’ve ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible.
“I’ll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.”
Maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq said Flintoff’s case was very complex. Pic: PA
Jahrad Haq, a maxillofacial surgeon, said he knew immediately the case was something out of the ordinary.
“I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant,” said Mr Haq.
“A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious.
“Of all the trauma cases I’ve seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.”
The ex-cricketer with nurses Linda Holden (left) and Sonia Steer. Pic: PA
Flintoff was also pictured on his visit meeting lead dental nurse Linda Holden and principal orthodontic nurse Sonia Steer.
Shamim Umarji, who also treated the 47-year-old, said it was “wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost”.
“He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot,” added the trauma and orthopaedic surgeon.
Read more from Sky News:
Dentist who poisoned wife’s protein shakes jailed for life
Record-breaking US baby born from oldest ever embryo
Flintoff previously described how he thought he had died in the accident – which saw him “pulled face-down on the runway” for about 50m under a three-wheel car.
The incident led to the BBC pulling the plug on Top Gear and it remains unclear if it will ever return.
Hollywood actor Brian Cox has told Sky News that Donald Trump is talking “bollocks” after suggesting there should be 50 or 75 years between Scottish independence referendums.
The US president said a country “can’t go through that too much” when questioned by reporters during his visit to Scotland this week.
The Emmy-winning star, who is an independence supporter, has hit back, branding him “that idiot in America”.
The 79-year-old told Sky News: “He’s talking bollocks. I’m sorry, but he does. It’s rubbish. Let’s get on with it and let’s get it [independence] done. We can do it.
“It’s been tough as there’s a great deal of undermining that has gone on.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump responds to Sky question on Israel
SNP fraud probe causing ‘harm’
Mr Cox said the police fraud investigation examining the SNP’s finances has done “enormous harm” to the party and wider independence movement.
Nicola Sturgeon was arrested as part of the long-running police probe but cleared of any wrongdoing earlier this year.
The former first minister’s estranged husband Peter Murrell, who was SNP chief executive for two decades, appeared in court in April to face a charge of alleged embezzlement. He has entered no plea.
Brian Cox is preparing to return to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade in a play about the Royal Bank of Scotland’s role in the 2008 financial crash.
Ahead of the Edinburgh festival performances, the veteran actor told Sky News: “I think it’s a masterpiece. It’s certainly one of the best pieces of work I’ve been involved in.
Brian Cox speaking to Sky’s Connor Gillies
‘My friend Spacey should be forgiven’
The Succession star was also asked about his “old friend” Kevin Spacey.
The former House of Cards actor, 65, was exiled from the showbiz world in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Spacey has admitted to “being too handsy” in the past and “touching someone sexually” when he didn’t know they “didn’t want him to”.
Spacey stood trial in the UK for multiple sexual offences against four men in July 2023 but was acquitted on all counts.
Kevin Spacey
Mr Cox told Sky News: “I am so against cancel culture. Kevin has made a lot of mistakes, but there is a sort of viciousness about it which is unwarranted.
“Everybody is stupid as everybody else. Everybody is capable of the same mistakes and the same sins as everybody else.”
Asked if he could see a return to showbiz for Spacey, Cox replied: “I would think so eventually, but it’s very tough for him.
“He was tricky, but he has learnt a big lesson. He should be allowed to go on because he is a very fine actor. I just think we should be forgiving.”
He concluded: “What is the joy you get out of kicking somebody in the balls when they are down? That is what I cannot stand.”
Entertainment
The 1975 star Matty Healy warns of musical ‘silence’ without small stages as he backs new UK-wide festival
The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has warned of a musical “silence” that would come without the pubs and bars that give UK artists their first chance to perform.
Fresh from headlining Glastonbury in June, Healy is backing a new UK-wide festival which will see more than 2,000 gigs taking place across more than 1,000 “seed” venues in September.
The Seed Sounds Weekender aims to celebrate the hospitality sector hosting bands and singers just as they are starting out – and for some, before they go on to become global superstars.
Healy, who is an ambassador for the event, said in a statement to Sky News: “Local venues aren’t just where bands cut their teeth, they’re the foundation of any real culture.
“Without them, you don’t get The Smiths, Amy Winehouse, or The 1975. You get silence.”
Oasis, currently making headlines thanks to their sold-out reunion tour, first played at Manchester’s Boardwalk club, which closed in 1999, and famously went on to play stadiums and their huge Knebworth gigs within the space of a few years.
Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher, pictured on stage at Wembley for their reunion tour, started out playing Manchester’s Boardwalk club. Pic: Lewis Evans
GigPig, the live music marketplace behind Seed Sounds, says the seed sector collectively hosts more than three million gigs annually, supports more than 43,000 active musicians, and contributes an estimated £2.4bn to the UK economy.
“The erosion of funding for seed and grassroots spaces is part of a wider liberal tendency to strip away the socially democratic infrastructure that actually makes art possible,” said Healy.
“What’s left is a cultural economy where only the privileged can afford to create, and where only immediately profitable art survives.”
He described the Seed Sounds Weekender as “a vital reminder that music doesn’t start in boardrooms or big arenas – it starts in back rooms, pubs, basements, and independent spaces run on love, grit, and belief in something bigger.”
Read more from Sky News:
Oasis photographers recall the early days
Heavy metal to reality TV: The wild life of Ozzy Osbourne
The importance of funding for grassroots venues has been highlighted in the past few years, with more than 200 closing or stopping live music in 2023 and 2024, according to the Music Venue Trust. Sheffield’s well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form in June, after losing a long-running eviction battle.
In May, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the £85m Creative Foundations Fund to support arts venues across England.
And last year, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee called for a levy on tickets to large concerts at stadiums and arenas to help fund grassroots venues, which artists including Coldplay and Katy Perry, and venues including the Royal Albert Hall, have backed.
But most seed venues – the smaller spaces in the hospitality sector that provide a platform before artists get to ticketed grassroots gigs or bigger stages – won’t qualify for the levy. GigPig is working to change this by formalising the seed music venue space as a recognised category.
“The UK’s seed venues are where music careers are born,” said GigPig co-founder Kit Muir-Rogers. “Collectively, this space promotes more music than any other in the live music business, yet it has gone overlooked and under-appreciated.”
The Seed Sounds Weekender takes place from 26-28 September and will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from venues.
Tickets for most of the gigs will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester, Newcastle and Southampton
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike