When was Ozzy Osbourne diagnosed with Parkinson’s? Health struggles explored as ticker details psychological toll of disease

Black Sabbath icon Ozzy Osbourne, has had a tough time when it comes to health issues in recent years, after announcing that he has been living with Parkinson’s disease since 2020.

The 76-year-old guitar hero had been diagnosed with the progressive neurological disease a year before, according to Today. This marked a turning point amid his decades-long fight against physical and mental health problems.

The X Factor judge recently revealed to The Guardian about the mental strain he has faced since the diagnosis of the illness.

"You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong... You begin to think this is never going to end," he said.

However, Ozzy Osbourne has been determined to recover and back to his regular life in the wake of these challenges. He has since been training with physiotherapists, vocal coaches and fitness instructors for a farewell performance with Black Sabbath in July 2025.

The performance, named Back to the Beginning, will be held in Ozzy Osbourne's home city, Birmingham, England, and, according to New York Post, will raise money for three charities — Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham-based Acorn Children’s Hospice, and the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Although the music legend is excited for his return he stated that the fans should not be expecting an electrifying performance.

"I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs. I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down," he added.

More about Ozzy Osbourne’s other medical conditions

Ozzy Osbourne has faced several health issues in his life, he survived a near-fatal ATV accident in 2003, has fought pneumonia, blood clots and has dealt with addiction in the past.

He has been forced to have surgery to repair damaged blood vessels resulting from a quad bike accident shortly after his 2003 diagnosis, and has also had a major spinal operation after a fall in 2019, which worsened his previous injuries.

The fall, according to Today, displaced metal rods that had earlier been placed in his body, requiring a series of surgeries. Ozzy Osbourne later said that the second of four operations on his spine had gone “drastically wrong,” and that he suffered from extreme mobility problems and balance issues.

“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*cking rod in my spine," he said in a Rolling Stone interview.

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His wife and longtime manager, Sharon Osbourne, has been open about the disease’s effect on him. In interviews, she has said that Parkinson’s has diminished her husband so much that he now struggles to move, but stated that his voice is as powerful as ever.

"He’s gone through all these operations and the whole thing has felt like a nightmare. He hasn’t lost his sense of humour, but I look at my husband, and he’s here while everyone else is out on the road," she said.

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