Ozzy Osbourne is determined to visit the Black Sabbath bench in his home city of Birmingham “very soon”, he says.
In a video interview with wife Sharon, the heavy metal star says he will come to see the bench on Broad Street, even “if I have to crawl there”.
Osbourne, 75, announced he had Parkinson’s disease in 2020, before playing live at the closing ceremony of Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games in 2022. He retired from touring last year.
Sharon posted the exclusive interview as a “thank you” gift to Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, the man behind the creation and upkeep of the now world-famous bench.
Ozzy said he would visit the bench when he goes to see the bull named after him in New Street railway station, which was the star of the Games’ opening ceremony.
When asked how he felt about the bench, he said: “It’s an achievement. I mean, Black Sabbath, we all came from Birmingham, Aston precisely. I don’t know how to thank you all enough.”
Osbourne called the bench “fantastic” and said he had never thought there would ever be such a tribute in his home town.
In the video, Sharon talks fondly about the bench, saying: “It’s become a tourist attraction, because people go and sit and have their picture taken with which ever member of Black Sabbath they want.”
Ozzy answers: “Wow! That’s really cool, that’s really cool.”
During the conversation, he also recalls moments from his childhood in Birmingham, including how he used to “mind cars for tips” during Aston Villa’s home matches.
“I didn’t go to Birmingham city centre much as a kid, or it was on special occasions. I remember being in Aston more,” he says.
“The thing about Aston, a lot of things have changed about it. My house in Lodge Road is still there and I used to go up there all the time when I had chance.”
Sharon says her, Ozzy, and their children had all visited the house on Lodge Road.
At the end of the interview, Sharon adds: “And we want to thank Mike Olley for making it happen.”
Ozzy then says: “Thank you Mike, thank you so much. What can I say! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Commenting on the new video, Mr Olley said it was a “fantastic gesture” from the couple and a “token of their gratitude over the bench”.
“We were thrilled to receive it and are now pleased to be sending it out to the world to see,” he said.
“Ozzy’s memory and responses about Aston seem crystal clear, and it was great to see his obvious love of the bench.”
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