Ozzy Osbourne fears he won’t be able to stand at his final concert, casting a shadow over the long-awaited Black Sabbath reunion in his hometown

Ozzy Osbourne, the godfather of heavy metal, has shared a heartbreaking update ahead of what could be his final live performance. At 76, and with a body ravaged by Parkinson’s disease, spinal surgeries and chronic pain, the legendary frontman admitted he may be unable to stand for the duration of his long-awaited July 5 farewell show in Birmingham.

The “Back To The Beginning” concert was supposed to be a triumphant return—a full-circle moment in his home city with fellow Black Sabbath founders Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. But speaking to The Guardian, Ozzy confessed he may need to remain seated for the entire set.

“I’ve got more f*****g metal in me than a scrap merchant,” he joked bitterly, referring to the string of back and neck surgeries he’s undergone in recent years. “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can… all I can do is turn up.”

The concert was his wife Sharon’s idea. After watching him suffer through surgeries she described as “horrendous,” she encouraged him to plan a final performance to rekindle his spirit. “It gave me a reason to get up in the morning,” Ozzy admitted.

Despite the grim prognosis, the former hellraiser remains determined to give fans one last show. He’s set to open the evening with a short solo set before reuniting on stage with his Sabbath bandmates. It will mark the first time the original four have played live together in two decades.

But whether Ozzy can physically deliver is now the biggest question. The health issues aren’t new. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2003 but only went public in 2020. Since then, he’s struggled with mobility, balance, and severe nerve pain, which has repeatedly forced him to cancel tours.

This final Birmingham performance was never about ego or nostalgia—it was a chance for the Prince of Darkness to say thank you and goodbye.

“I want to do this show as a symbol of gratitude,” he said, reflecting on the fans who’ve stood by him for over half a century. “I just couldn’t face not saying farewell.”

There’s a sense of urgency in his words, not just from his health but from the passage of time. Ozzy knows this may be his final bow, and he wants to do it on his terms—even if that means performing from a chair.

It will be a night of power, poignancy, and painful truth: a heavy metal icon wrestling with mortality under the lights of the city that made him.