Ozzy Osbourne announces last ever Black Sabbath show as he grapples with Parkinson's

Ozzy Osbourne is gearing up for his swansong performance with Black Sabbath this summer. At the ripe age of 76, the rocker and his iconic band are reuniting for a final bow, with a charity gig scheduled in Birmingham on July 5.

The heavy metal titans are set to headline a one-off festival at Villa Park, showcasing a cavalcade of bands they've influenced, such as Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Gojira, and Anthrax.

This mind-blowing concert will be the first time Black Sabbath's original squad - Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward - have shredded the stage together in longer than two decades.

Ozzy, having been dealt the blow of halting his touring due to his Parkinson's struggle, plans to belt out a brief solo stint before reuniting with his mates for the legendary collaboration.

"It's my time to go Back to the Beginning... time for me to give back to the place where I was born," declared the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne. "How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever," reports the Mirror.

The bombshell announcement came straight from Villa Park, delivered by Sharon Osbourne and Black Sabbath's own Tony Iommi.

The trio of beneficiaries from this rock spectacle includes Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorn Children's Hospice – the latter a cherished institution of Aston Villa. The line-up will also see Alice In Chains, Halestorm, Lamb Of God, and Mastodon turn up the volume.

After being struck with a Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020, Ozzy has notably dialed back his live shows, making an appearance at the curtain call of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The Prince of Darkness himself spilled to Rolling Stone UK about his burning desire to hit the stage once more, though he's sceptical about making a comeback due to his health woes. Last year, he confessed to the mag: "I'm taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it's been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life."

The rock legend made it clear he won't be seeking any pity votes, stating: "I'm not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What's the [expletive] point in that? I'm not going up there in a [expletive] wheelchair."

Ozzy has been open about his health struggles, revealing his Parkinson's diagnosis back in 2020 on Good Morning America.

He described the condition as "terribly challenging" and opened up about battling depression and mobility issues. Sharon Osbourne, former X Factor judge and Ozzy's other half, shared that her hubby faces daily struggles, noting: "There's so many different types of Parkinson's; it's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it's - it's like you have a good day, and then a really bad day."

In 2022, after undergoing major spinal surgery, Ozzy announced less than a year later that he was hanging up his touring boots, admitting he's no longer "physically capable" of live performances.

"As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine," he shared in the deeply emotional announcement. "However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak."

The rock legend underwent additional neck surgery in late 2023, and his spouse Sharon openly discussed how he's been coping since being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

"I just think of my husband, who was very energetic, loved to go out for walks, did a two-hour show on stage every night, running around like a crazy man," she revealed in the 2022 ITV documentary Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson’s. "Suddenly, your life just stops - life as you knew it."

Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.