Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne made a devastating health confession just over a year before his tragic death at the age of 76, which was announced yesterday (July 22).

Earlier this month, Ozzy reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for what was billed as the group's final-ever performance. The emotional homecoming show took place at Villa Park, Birmingham, and saw the heavy-metal icon perform in front of thousands of fans.

Now, less than three weeks after taking to the stage one last time, the world is mourning the loss of one of rock’s most enduring and influential figures.

In a revealing episode of The Osbournes podcast, recorded in January last year, Ozzy opened up about his ongoing health struggles and paid tribute to his family for their unwavering support.

“These last five years have been hell,” he admitted. “I’ve been a pain in the eye trying to recover. But my family have been so f***ing wonderful. My wife has worked her a*** off trying to help me get back on my feet.”

It was back in 1970 when Ozzy and Sharon's paths first crossed, after the former X Factor judge was introduced to the heavy-metal star by her father, who was managing Black Sabbath at the time. The couple married 12 years later and went on to have three children together: Aimee, Kelly, and Jack.

After being diagnosed with a mild form of Parkinson's disease in 2003, the singer’s health has significantly declined in recent years, undergoing seven surgeries in the past five years—including a fourth operation on his spine in 2023.

As the condition progressed, it left him unable to walk, and he was seen performing from a throne during his final gig at Villa Park earlier this month.

According to the NHS, the main symptoms of Parkinson's include: "involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body (tremor), slow movement, stiff and inflexible muscles."

Comprised of four members—Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne—Black Sabbath are frequently credited with being the original pioneers of the heavy-metal genre. Some of their most well-loved hits include Paranoid, Iron Man, and Changes.

Prior to their comeback show at Villa Park last month, the band had gone 20 years without performing together on stage. The last time all four bandmates appeared together was in 2005, when they performed at Ozzfest.

Announcing his death yesterday, the Osbourne family released the following statement: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne passed away this morning.

"He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time."