Ozzy Osbourne reveals he has Parkinson’s disease as he opens up on ‘terribly challenging’ year

Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he has Parkinson’s disease in an emotional interview with his wife Sharon. 

The 71-year-old sat down with Good Morning America to say that he would no longer keep his health struggles a secret and that he is on a “whole host” of medication to treat his nerve pain. 

Ozzy admitted he’d spent the last year in “constant” pain and described it as the most “miserable time of his life.”

The Black Sabbath star said his problems started when he suffered a fall last year and underwent surgery.

He explained that doctors were unsure whether it was the fall or the surgery that led to his ill health.

The singer said he wanted to speak out after it was falsely reported he was on his “death bed” and wanted to be honest about his condition for his supporters.

He said: “It has been terribly challenging for us. I had to have surgery on my neck which screwed all my nerves.”

He added that he then “found out [he has] a mild form of…” but struggled to finish his sentence, prompting Sharon to add: “It’s Parkin 2 which is a form of Parkinson’s. There are so many different types of Parkinson’s.

“It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does effect the nerves in your body. It’s like you’ll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day.”

Ozzy then explained: “A year ago I was in a terrible state.  I’m on a host of medication, mainly for the surgery. 

“I’ve got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don’t know if it’s the Parkinson’s or what. That’s the problem.”

This comes a month after Sharon confirmed that the couple spent their first Christmas apart in 40 years.

At the time she did not reveal his diagnosis but simply stated that he was too sick to travel to the UK, where she was working at the time. 

Ozzy instead stayed in their US home with their children due to the health issues.

 “He’s going to stay home with Jack and Aimee and the grandkids and I’m here with Kelly,” she told her fellow Loose Women panellists in December.

“It’s the first time – this will be our 40th Christmas – that we’re not together. It’s going to be different. Kelly and I are going out for our Christmas lunch.”

When quizzed on how Ozzy was coping, Sharon explained: “He fell and damaged his spine. It’s kind of been a domino effect, one thing happens then another thing.

“The doctors didn’t want him to get on the plane. And Ozzy I must say is quite nervous about flying all that way.”

The 71-year-old previously had  two months of physiotherapy to help him walk properly again after tripping over a rug and suffering a fall.

Sharon explained at the time: “It was so quick and he was so sleepy that he didn’t instinctively put his hands out to break the fall.

“So he then hit his head again, on the corner of our bed, which has a metal frame. I saw it happen but I couldn’t get to him in time.

Ozzy and Sharon married in 1982 and share three adult children together – Aimee, Kelly and Jack.