After undergoing spinal surgery, Ozzy Osbourne has officially retired from touring and canceled all of his upcoming gigs.
Four years ago, the 74-year-old rock star was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has since had to confront various medical difficulties in recent times.
After being postponed three times, his much-anticipated European tour was due to launch in May and he had been so excited about it. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case as it has now been canceled indefinitely, along with all other future dates associated with the event.
In December of 2018, Ozzy Osbourne bid a rousing adieu to his fans with the final performance of his No More Tours II farewell tour at Inglewood’s renowned Ozzfest.
On Wednesday, the Black Sabbath musician emotionally posted an apology on Instagram to his followers for ‘disappointing’ them and admitted ‘never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way.’
Even seven months following his life-saving spinal surgery, and despite his ongoing fight against Parkinson’s disease, he sadly admitted that he was still struggling with health problems.
He said: “This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans. 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. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.”
Ozzy added: “I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F***S ME UP, more than you will ever know.”
He continued: “Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”
“I want to thank my family……my band…….my crew……my longtime friends, @JudasPriest, and of course, my fans for their endless dedication, loyalty, and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have.”
“I love you all… Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase.”
Ozzy had previously warned that he could potentially become paralyzed for life after undergoing his first major spinal surgery in 2019.
In 2019, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Months later, a debilitating fall worsened the neck injury sustained from his 2003 quad bike accident.
His old neck injury, which was a result of his quad bike crash 17 years ago at his English countryside estate where he fractured eight ribs and one vertebra, had resurfaced after the new incident.
His spinal operation left him with 15 screws in his spine, and agonizing discomfort along the nerves all over his neck, back, shoulders, and arms. The celebrity was terrified that he’d get ‘bolts inserted into his neck.’
Last year, Ozzy underwent two more operations with the latter occurring in June. In an interview, he stated: “Thank God I found the right surgeon who knows how to deal with spinal problems. He had to cut nerves and you have to take f*****g nerve-pain pills, but I am getting better.”
After undergoing life-altering surgery in June, Black Sabbath Hitmaker stunned the world when he returned to the stage with a passionate performance during Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games closing ceremony. His monumental comeback was met with thunderous applause and awe from his hometown fans!
Last month, Ozzy Osbourne spoke about his current health on the SiriusXM channel, “Ozzy’s Boneyard”, and addressed touring when he shared: “It is so f*****g tough because, I mean, I want to be out there.”
“I want to be doing it. This f*****g surgery this guy did. F*****g hell, you have no idea.”
“The thing is my head is all right, my creativity is OK, my singing OK but I just can’t f*****g walk much now.”
“I can’t begin to tell you how f*****g frustrating life has become. It is amazing how you go along in life and one stupid thing can screw everything up for a long time. I have never been ill this long in my life.”
“That surgeon told me if I didn’t have the surgery there would be a good chance I would be paralyzed from the neck down.”
Ozzy achieved stardom as the lead vocalist of the groundbreaking band Black Sabbath and has sold an incredible one hundred million albums across the globe.
His celebrity elevated to new heights due to MTV’s documentary series, The Osbournes. This show documented his life at home with Sharon (his wife and manager) as well as their children in an unvarnished style that captivated audiences everywhere.
