Shropshire Star

Ozzy Osbourne reveals Parkinson's diagnosis in emotional interview

Birmingham music icon Ozzy Osbourne has revealed he has Parkinson's in an emotional interview.

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Ozzy Osbourne

The 71-year-old Black Sabbath star made the revelation during an interview alongside wife Sharon on Good Morning America.

The star revealed he suffers from Parkin II, and had to undergo surgery for it following a fall last year.

“A year ago next month I was in a shocking state," he said.

Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne arrive at the MusiCares 2014 Person of the Year Tribute

"I'm on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery. I've got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold.

"I don't know if it's the Parkinson's or what. That's the problem. Because they cut nerves when they did the surgery.

"I'd never heard of nerve pain, and it's a weird feeling."

Earlier this week, the rock star was spotted walking with a cane, sparking rumours about his health.

Sharon went on to explain: "It’s Parkin’s II, which a form of Parkinson’s. There’s so many different types of Parkinson’s. It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does effect certain nerves in your body."

He said he received the diagnosis last February, and that it has been 'terribly challenging for [us] all'.

READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne diagnosis: What is Parkinson’s disease?

Sharon also spoke of the difficulty of putting on a brave face, saying: “I have to be there for Ozzy and for the family. Because if I break down and their Dad… it’s like, no, you just can’t do it.

“It just means so much to him, what he does, he loves to perform, it’s the air that he breathes.

“This is the longest that he’s ever been home and it’s time for him to get back on the road because he’s driving me mad. He really needs to get back out there.”

The frontman also needed hospital treatment in February due to complications from the flu.

Following the fall, Ozzy began to experience nerve pain, saying doctors have had a hard time pinpointing whether the fall, the surgery, or his condition are to blame for his condition.

Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, singer Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi

The couple revealed they will travel to Switzerland in April to seek medical advice from a professor who specialises in the condition.

Ozzy said he'd felt 'guilty' hiding the diagnosis for months and now is relieved to be able to share it. He said he wanted to speak out after it was falsely reported he was on his 'death bed'.

He said: "To hide something is hard – you never feel proper. You feel guilty.

"I’m no good with secrets. I cannot walk around with it anymore. It’s like I’m running out of excuses."

Ozzy also revealed that he is currently taking Parkinson’s medication, and that alongside his family, his fans are a source of support, and he misses them “so much.”

Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly and Jack Osbourne on stage, during the Brit Awards 2008

“They’re my air, you know,” he said about his fans. “I feel better. I’ve owned up to the fact that I have - a case of Parkinson’s.

“And I just hope they hang on and they’re there for me because I need them.”

It’s estimated that Parkinson’s affects one in 350 people and there are currently 145,000 people with the condition in the UK as of 2018.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition.

This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.

Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, and Kelly Osbourne arrive at the 2013 An Evening With Women event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel

The disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain, which leads to problems with movement.

Show host Robin Roberts also spoke with Ozzy's children Kelly and Jack.

"The hardest thing is watching somebody you love suffer," 35-year-old Kelly said.

"It's kind of become a bit of a role reversal for us, where we have to be like, snap out of it, come on, we have to all admit what's happening here."

Jack added: "I understand when you have something you don't want to have. I don't push it, if he wants to talk about it, he talks about it."

Ozzy concluded the interview saying he is determined to get himself healthy and start touring again.

Jack Osbourne, Lisa Stelly, Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne arrive at the Total Recall premiere in 2012

"I just can't wait to get well enough to go on the road again. That's what's killing me," the star said.

"I need it y'know. That's my drug today. I've done all the other crap, I've left that by the wayside. Survived that. And I ain't gone yet. I ain't gonna go anywhere yet."

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