Ozzy Osbourne set to open up about his health battles in documentary

Ozzy Osbourne is set to candidly discuss his health struggles in an upcoming documentary.

The 78-year-old rock legend has undergone seven surgeries in the past five years, including a fourth spinal operation in September 2023, and has been privately battling Parkinson's disease since 2003.

Titled Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, the documentary - produced in partnership with MTV and the Osbourne family - will be released later this year on Paramount+.

The film offers a raw and intimate look at the 'devastating setbacks' Ozzy has endured since his life-altering fall in 2019.

It will explore how that fall, which forced him to postpone his solo farewell tour while also battling pneumonia and receiving his Parkinson's diagnosis, changed his life forever.

Speaking about the documentary, Osbourne said: 'The last six years have been full of some of the worst times I've been through. 

'There's been times when I thought my number was up. But making music and making two albums saved me. I'd have gone nuts without music.'

His wife, Sharon, 72, added: 'This film is an honest account of what has happened to Ozzy during the last few years. 

'It shows how hard things have been for him and the courage he has shown while dealing with a number of serious health issues, including Parkinson's. It's about the reality of his life now. 

'We have worked with a production team we trust and have allowed them the freedom to tell the story openly. 

'We hope that story will inspire people that are facing similar issues to Ozzy.'

Filming for the documentary began in 2022 during the recording of his solo album Patient Number 9 and will continue through summer. 

The documentary will follow Ozzy as he gears up for Black Sabbath’s highly anticipated Back to the Beginning concert at Birmingham’s Villa Park in 2025.

It comes after Ozzy gave a health update earlier this month after announcing his final Black Sabbath gig will take place later this year.

Speaking on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard, he said: 'You know what, I go on about the way I can't walk and I can't do this, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all of my complaining, I'm still alive.'

He continued: 'I may be moaning about how I can't walk as well but as I look down the road, there's people that didn't do half as much as me, and they didn't make it.'

'I'm trying to get back on my feet.'

Host Billy Morrison added: 'Ozzy, you are so much better than you were just a year ago.'

He replied: 'Yeah, but the recovery is very slow. That f***ing surgeon. Plus the Parkinson's. When you get up in the morning, you just jump outta bed. Oh I have to balance myself, you know? But you know, I'm not dead, as you say. I'm still actively doing things.'

It was revealed last week that his band is preparing to reunite for the first time in 20 years alongside a host of other big names.

The original line-up of heavy metal legends Black Sabbath will play together at a one-off concert in Birmingham, UK, this summer.

The show will take place on July 5 at the birthplace of the band and will feature Ozzy, 76, Tommy, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

However, it came as an unexpected move as in a March 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy admitted he wasn't optimistic about being on stage again.

When quizzed on the possibility, he responded: 'I would love to, but I can't stand up right. Maybe I'll do something one day. I miss it terribly.'

The star was then asked if he would consider doing ' a short set if inducted into the Rock Hall,' to which he responded: 'Maybe. We'll see.'

The British musician was diagnosed with a mild form of Parkinson's disease in 2003, however he only went public with the condition in 2020.

However, Ozzy has said that his biggest struggles are due to a fall which he suffered in 2019 which caused metal rods in his back to dislodge.

The rods had been put there following a quad bike accident at his Buckinghamshire home in 2003.

He told Rolling Stone UK magazine: 'The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled.

'I thought I'd be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one they put a f*ing rod in my spine.

'They found a tumour in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It's pretty rough, man, and my balance is all f*ed up.'

The Prince of Darkness also said how he has 'ten tears left' to live as he recalled a disagreed with his wife over smoking cannabis.

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Ozzy Osbourne gives major health update ahead of taking to the stage for Black Sabbath reunion gig

Ozzy's wife Sharon was at the announcement of the new show at Birmingham's Villa Park, the concert venue, on Wednesday alongside the band's guitarist Tony Iommi.

Sharon proudly held up a Villa football shirt with Ozzy's name on the back as she posed pitchside.

The group pioneered heavy metal music in the early 1970s with hits such as War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man.

Since their last gig together in 2005, Black Sabbath has played in partial reunions but never in their original line-up.

Sharon, who shares three children with the star, has also admitted the show will be a testing experience for the star.

She told The Sun: 'He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease.

'It’s not something you can stabilise. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.'

Profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, with the Parkinson's charity being selected by Sharon and Ozzy.

What is Parkinson's ?

Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative condition. The illness effects the nerve cells in the brain that control movement.

Over time the symptoms gradually get worse. It can cause symptoms related to movement as well as pain, depression and loss of smell. 

Most people who get Parkinson's are over 60, but one in ten are under 50 and it affects more men than women. 

What causes the symptoms?

Nerve cells in the brain send messages to the rest of out body to control our movements. This is done using chemicals called neurotransmitters.

An area of the brain called the substantia nigra produces one of the neurotransmitters that controls movement: dopamine. But in 70 to 80 per cent of people with Parkinson's these dopamine producing cells deteriorate and die. 

The loss of dopamine-producing neurons results in low levels of dopamine in the part of the brain that controls movement and balance.

Source: Parkinson's Europe