BBC Radio 2 announces huge schedule shake-up as Ozzy Osbourne honoured
BBC Radio 2 has made a huge change in honour of Ozzy Osbourne. The Black Sabbath rocker died earlier this week at the age of 76 after battling numerous health issues and now the flagship radio station has decided that Shaun Keaveny's Radio 2 Rock Show on Friday at 11pm will be entirely devoted to the Prince of Darkness himself.
Some of the icon's best known work includes Paranoid, Iron Man and Changes, and the programme will spend its night time slot looking back at some of those classics.
What's more, the special will also take a look at Ozzy's solo career, which, after years of success with Black Sabbath, began in 1980 with the single Crazy Train and saw him right through to 2022, when he released what became his final album Patient Number 9.
Listeners will also be able to hear Ozzy's very own choice of Rock God which he recorded for Johnnie Walker's very first Radio 2 Rock Show back in June 2018, and excerpts from interviews with the man himself chosen from the archives. Listeners can tune in from 11pm, and the show will also be made available on BBC Sounds.
Ozzy died just days after he had performed his farewell gig at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham. News of Ozzy's death broke on Wednesday evening, and it came after a number of health woes for the legendary music star.
The family statement announcing his death read: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love." We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis."
The family message was preceded by a location stamp, that read: "Birmingham, England July 22, 2025" - revealing that Ozzy made it back home for one last time. He is survived by his wife Sharon and their children Jack, Aimee, Kelly as well as Jessica, Louis and Elliott from his first marriage.
Taking to Instagram hours after his broadcast, BBC Radio 1 DJ Jack Saunders said of his idol's passing: "As I was on air tonight, the news broke that we had lost one of the greatest showman the world of metal and music has ever seen. The bands and artists that dare to fly the flag in the name of rock n roll do so because Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath did first. He was a blessing to music. Rest In Peace the Prince Of Darkness."
Sharon responded: "Jack thank you for your tribute to Ozzy tonight, bless you." Meanwhile, Sir Elton John, a close friend of Sharon and Ozzy, also shared a moving tribute.
Rocket Man hitmaker Sir Elton John shared a picture of himself and Ozzy, and wrote: "So sad to hear the news of @ozzyosbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love."
An air ambulance landed close to Ozzy's Buckinghamshire mansion at around 10:30am on Tuesday, and medics spent hours attempting to revive the Black Sabbath musician. A local resident said they became alarmed after noticing the helicopter in the quiet village and saw it landing close to Ozzy and Sharon's mansion.
They told the MailOnline: "All of us were talking about it and wondering what had happened. We immediately feared it may be for him as he was known to be in fragile health. When we heard later that night that he had died it confirmed our worst fears."
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Air Ambulance said: "We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday."
The chopper took off from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire and arrived after just 15 minutes. The red aircraft is used to treat patients requiring the most critical care. Today, Ozzy's sister told the Mirror how she was glad he was able to die in England, after he had been yearning to return home, having spent two decades in Los Angeles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Ozzy Osbourne's cheeky nod to controversial career moment in his final farewell
Black Sabbath star's 'last laugh' with the burial plot on his Buckinghamshire estate Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne has proved just as batty in death as he was in life. The Prince of Darkness has created a light-hearted moment from beyond the grave because his final resting place is surrounded by bat boxes. Heavy metal singer Ozzy caused the most controversy in his colourful career by biting off a bat's head. On Wednesday, thousands of fans in Birmingham paid their respects to Ozzy as his cortege passed through the streets of his home city. The next day, the 76-year-old was laid to rest beside a serene lake in a private ceremony at his Buckinghamshire country estate. Alongside the lake was a giant floral tribute saying: 'Ozzy F***ing Osbourne'. It comes after wife Sharon broke down in tears at Ozzy's funeral in heartbreaking scenes. A family friend said the bat boxes in trees by the lake, installed a few years ago in an estate upgrade, had provided moments of humour as they grieved. The insider said: 'This was like a classic Ozzy move. The man loved humour and this sure would have tickled him pink knowing how close friends reacted to this bat situation. 'After all those decades caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, here at his final resting place there are bespoke bat boxes to help encourage the animals thrive in the UK countryside. It has prompted quite a few laughs and funny reactions. It is just like Ozzy had the last laugh.' Ozzy bit the bat during his Diary of a Madman tour in Des Moines' Veterans Memorial Auditorium in January 1982 thinking it was a toy. The infamous incident outraged animal charities, but cemented his place into rock and roll history as the craziest artist of all time. In 2010 memoir I Am Ozzy, the star insisted that the bat was already dead, but regretted his action after needing daily rabies shots for months. Buckinghamshire has focused on improving the 'conservation of bats and their habitats' and encourages many planning applicants to include bird or bat boxes in schemes. The region is home to many brown-long eared and pipistrelle bats. Ozzy and wife Sharon, 72, spent more than £1million upgrading Welders House estate for their return to the UK in 2023, including a new wing to the mansion, a gym, recording facilities and lift giving the rocker, who had Parkinson's disease, access to the upstairs bedroom. The lake was doubled in size with fish added. Sharon and Ozzy's children – Jack, 39, Kelly, 40, Aimee, 41, and Louis, 50 – were joined by music stars for Thursday's ceremony at the250-acre estate near Gerrards Cross. Among them were his bandmates, including Zakk Wylde, Metallica frontman James Hetfield, rock star Marilyn Manson, Sir Elton John and singer Yungblud.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
PETER HITCHENS: I no longer recognise this country. This is the exact moment we gave in to madness
For several days now I have been living in a country I do not recognise. Everywhere I turn it is assumed – especially on TV and radio – that I ought to be fiercely interested in women's football and in the death of someone called Ozzy Osbourne. I am not. I am of course sorry for the loss of the Osbourne family, as I am for all bereaved persons. But I had never knowingly listened to his, er, work before he died. And now I have been more or less forced to do so, I will try never to listen to it again.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Rylan Clark says 'once was enough' as he battles 'sharp pain' in love life insight
Former X Factor star Rylan Clark has opened up on his love life, candidly admitting that he 'couldn't imagine going through it twice' following a devastating break-up Getting over a relationship can be difficult, it's a mountain range of emotions on a turbulent sea as both parties attempt to heal following the split. Whether there has been a marriage or not, break-ups can be agonising ordeals, meaning that moving forward can be challenging and take considerable time for all involved. This was one topic former X Factor contestant Rylan Clark, 36, explored with his guest Vanessa Williams on his podcast 'Rylan: How to Be In Love', during which they shared their romantic experiences. Rylan has been wed once, for six years to Dan Neal, between 2015 and 2021. Meanwhile, The Devil Wears Prada Musical star Vanessa, 62, has walked down the aisle three times. She was first married to Ramon Hervey II, then to Rick Fox, and finally to Jim Skrip. What both Rylan and actress Vanessa share is that the timing of one of their marriages coincided, with Vanessa tying the knot with Jim in 2015 before their divorce in 2021. Reflecting on their divorces, Rylan confessed that it wasn't something he would wish to endure again, due to the immense anguish it brought him. Rylan revealed he continues to experience excruciating reminders of his heartache to this day, sharing: "I've had to do it once and once was enough for me. "You still get that weird sharp pain every now and again. "It'll be something so stupid like, 'Oh that glass looks like...' and it's, like, that little. I couldn't imagine going through that twice, I don't know how I'd fare." Rylan has previously opened up about his marriage to Dan Neal, with the BBC Radio 2 presenter confessing he experienced certain feelings he wasn't familiar with post-divorce. Speaking on the same podcast, he admitted: "I have found that, since the breakdown of my marriage, if I've gone on any dates or started seeing people, when I've had sex with them, I lose interest pretty quickly. "I actually got pretty worried about a year or two ago, because I thought, hang on a minute, I don't remember this from BM I call it, before marriage. "I don't remember having sex with someone, or orgasming with someone, climaxing, and then after that thinking, 'Oh, I'm just not bothered now'."
