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Is Ozzy Osbourne sick? Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend, 74, hints retiring from touring completely

In a message, Ozzy Osbourne wrote, 'never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On January 31, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne had a very sad piece of news to share with his fans. The 74-year-old Grammy-nominated singer, often credited for creating a benchmark for heavy metal with his band 'Black Sabbath', has in the last few years suffered a series of health issues, and hasn't been seen performing live for a while now. On Tuesday, in a social media message, the singer informed that he is still physically weak and will have to cancel his European and UK tours.

Apart from canceling the shows, that were scheduled for May and June this year, Ozzy's message also hinted that the rock legend is most likely retiring completely from touring. The 'Mama I'm Coming Home' singer has been suffering from several health issues since 2019 when he had to undergo surgery after falling down and damaging his spine. In 2020, he canceled the North American leg of his 'No More Tours 2', amid a series of health problems, including a Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.

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Is Ozzy Osbourne sick?

"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," Ozzy wrote in his message, informing his fans that tickets are now available at the point of purchase.

The last four years have seen Ozzy battling a series of health issues. However, Ozzy's health troubles began back in 2003, when he met with a bike accident. The singer, who has every now and then asserted his "toughness," however, continued with his work, after checking himself out of the hospital. The injury came back to haunt him years later in 2019 when he fell down while trying to jump on his bed in the darkness and then laid on the floor unable to move. 

Recalling the 2019 accident, Ozzy had told Yahoo Entertainment that he knew he had landed "really badly." "I just laid there till the ambulance came," Ozzy told the publication. "It turned out that from the accident in 2003, I’d damaged my spinal column. It was pinching on my nerve. I had all these malfunctions. I was walking weird and whatever, but it was not from the Parkinson's — it turned out that I'd squashed the tube where spinal cord goes, and there was this pressure," Ozzy continued, adding that at this point he was advised by the doctor to undergo surgery, or he might become paralyzed neck down. He, however, blamed the surgeon for doing a bad job, as he was "crippled ever since" the surgery. 

Apart from his spinal injury, Ozzy has also been suffering from Parkinson's disease. However, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer had kept it under the wraps for as long as he could, and it was only in 2020, that he and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, broke the news. On June 9, last year, the rocker had to undergo another major surgery, which he said came because his previous surgeon "f****d up." In an interview with Classic Rock, Ozzy said, "I can’t walk properly these days. I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road." After being released from the hospital on June 16, 2022, Ozzy had tweeted to thank his fans.

How is Ozzy Osbourne's health now?

As per his latest social media post, Ozzy is still physically weak. Addressing his fans, the rock legend wrote in an Instagram post, "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."

However, despite facing difficulty in physical movement, as he is still weak, Ozzy informed his fans that his singing voice is fine, and his team is currently coming up with ideas for him to be able to perform without having to travel "from city to city and country to country." "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 wrote in his message.