Ozzy Osbourne, the “Prince of Darkness,” has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system — or at least a form of it.
During an interview with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, the 71-year-old rocker — alongside longtime wife and manager Sharon Osbourne — revealed he has PRKN 2.
Sharon Osbourne, 67, assured fans that PRKN 2 diagnosis is “not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination,” however, added that “it does affect certain nerves in the body.”
The news comes nearly a year after the Crazy Train singer began struggling with his physical health. Last January, he took a tumble in his Los Angeles, Calif. home and suffered a severe neck injury.
As a result, Ozzy was forced to postpone his No More Tours 2 world tour, including dates in Canada, before having to undergo surgery to help him recover. Though his illness was made public on Tuesday, it was actually diagnosed last February; shortly after the neck operation.
“I’m no good with secrets,” said Ozzy after revealing the news. “I cannot walk around with it anymore… because it’s like I’m running out of excuses,” he admitted, in reference to hiding the PRKN 2 diagnosis.
Additionally, Ozzy admitted that he couldn’t differentiate if the nerve pain he felt was a result of the surgery or the onset effects of Parkinson’s.
“I’d never heard of nerve pain,” he continued, “and it’s a weird feeling.”
Within the last few years, many fans have expressed their concerns about Ozzy’s health status for a variety of different reasons, including not only last year’s neck injury, but his age and well-storied history of substance abuse.
In 2019, the headbanger icon rescheduled his tour on four separate occasions, which prompted further speculation among his followers about his health. Despite his many “excuses” for delaying the tour — which put the blame on his neck injury instead — many were convinced that he was facing a secret illness.
Back in October, Ozzy even issued a video statement assuring fans that he was “not dying.”
Though he spoke nothing of his illness, he said: “I am recovering — it’s just taking a little bit longer than everyone thought it would. I want to be 100 per cent ready to come out and knock your f–king socks off.”
Furthermore, Ozzy seemed eager to recover, get back on tour and play his music live. “I just can’t wait to get well enough to be on the road again,” he said.
Other than two one-song performances with Post Malone in 2019, Ozzy hasn’t been onstage for a full show since the New Year’s Eve of 2018, where he played at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
He continued: “That’s what’s killing me… that’s my drug today. Forget all that other crap. I ain’t done yet. I ain’t gonna go anywhere yet.”
“I hope they hang around for me, because I need them,” Ozzy concluded about his fans.
Those interested in pre-ordering Ordinary Man, Ozzy’s first studio album in a decade, can do so through the official Ozzy Osbourne website.
The album, which features Duff McKagan and Slash from Guns N’ Roses, Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Elton John, will be released on Feb. 21.
The self-titled single, Straight to Hell and Under the Graveyard are now available through all major streaming platforms.
After rescheduling his North American tour last year, Osbourne will finally return to Canada this summer with four concerts scheduled alongside Marilyn Manson.
Canadian No More Tours 2 2020 tour dates:
June 16 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
June 18 — Hamilton, Ont. @ FirstOntario Centre
July 7 — Edmonton, Alta. @ Rogers Place
July 9 — Vancouver, B.C. @ Rogers Arena
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