Sharon Osbourne Reveals What Ozzy Said About His Fans Days Before His Death

Sharon Osbourne revealed that her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne, had no idea how beloved he was days before his death.

In an interview with Pollstar conducted just after Osbourne's Back to the Beginning farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Sharon revealed that her husband was stunned that the 40,000-seat stadium show sold out and was livestreamed to millions more fans.

Sharon told the outlet that after nearly 60 years in the music business, Ozzy was surprised by the adoration. "He turned around and he said to me that night, 'I had no idea that so many people liked me,'" Sharon recalled.

She added, "Ozzy's always been in his own bubble."

In a 2002 interview with E! News , Sharon said, "Ozzy's got the greatest fans in the world."

"He's got such a loyal following and they've now followed him on to TV," she said, referring to the family's MTV reality show The Osbournes . "He's blessed with just, you know, this legion of fans that followed him for years."

Ozzy Osbourne's Farewell Show Was the Perfect Goodbye to Fans

Speaking with Pollstar , Sharon also said that the day-long Back to the Beginning concert event, which included tributes from dozens of metal bands before Ozzy took the stage for five solo and four Black Sabbath songs, was the "perfect" way for her husband to say goodbye to his fans.

"It was the first time, I think, that anybody's gone into retirement and done it, where the show is streamed and it goes to charity," she said. "So, it's the first time anybody has said goodnight like that, it's the perfect way, when you've had such a long career, to end it."

"I never wanted Ozzy to just disappear without some big event," she added. "And it's the best way then to go home to where it all started, to go to his favorite stadium in the world, which is [home to] his beloved Aston Villa (soccer) team, and it was just perfect. It was the perfect storm."

Ozzy Osbourne died suddenly on July 22, just 17 days after the Back to the Beginning concert took place.

Thousands of fans showed up to leave flowers, gifts, and messages at the Black Sabbath Bench and Bridge tourist attraction in Birmingham. On July 30, Osbourne's funeral procession was also livestreamed for millions of fans to view.

Related: Sharon Osbourne Responds to Tributes to Ozzy Following His Death: 'He Loved You'

Sharon Osbourne Reveals What Ozzy Said About His Fans Days Before His Death first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 8, 2025