Ozzy Osbourne: Sharon and Kelly Reflect on Birmingham, Final Days and the Posthumous Tribute

Sharon Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne spoke on the Brits red carpet about why Birmingham meant everything to Ozzy Osbourne and what his final weeks looked like, touching on his hometown pride, serious illness before his last concert, and the posthumous Lifetime Achievement tribute that closed the ceremony in Manchester.

Ozzy Osbourne’s roots and the Villa Park farewell

Sharon emphasised that Ozzy was born and raised in the Aston area of Birmingham and never forgot his hometown. She described his origin as a small working class neighbourhood and said he rose from there to become one of the most recognisable and respected musicians. The Black Sabbath frontman performed the Back to the Beginning farewell show at Villa Park, a venue close to where he was born, and he performed his final sets both as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath.

Ozzy died on July 22nd, last year, aged 76. That date fell just 17 days after the Back to the Beginning concert; Sharon said the family had been told two weeks before the show that he could probably die, and he did.

Brits tribute, Lifetime Achievement award and the Manchester finale

At the ceremony in Manchester Ozzy was honoured posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement award. The event closed with an all-star tribute performance led by Robbie Williams. Sharon curated the tribute and the backing band included Robert Trujillo and Zakk Wylde. Both Sharon and Kelly described having the tribute as an honour.

Sharon on the final days: sepsis, hospitalisation and the choice to perform

In a recent podcast appearance hosted by Bunnie XO, who is Jelly Roll’s wife and also known as Alisa DeFord, Sharon discussed the family’s experience before and after the Villa Park show. She said she is "getting there" as she tries to pick herself up following his passing, that it has been hard, and that she will keep working.

Sharon laid out a sequence of medical setbacks: Ozzy had sepsis earlier in the year, and very few people walk away from sepsis without losing a limb or their life. She said that as soon as he got sepsis, she and the kids knew it was time. Later, when they went to England he went into hospital for a week; upon his release they were warned that it could kill him. Despite that, Sharon recounted that he insisted, "I'm doing my show, " and proceeded to give his final performances because he wanted to go the way he chose.

Sharon framed the decision as his desire to end on his own terms: having lived his life that way, he wanted to "go his way, " and she said he knew what he was doing. She characterised his final onstage exit as both kingly and rock-star worthy.