Louis Walsh reveals inside story of Osbournes' relationship after Ozzy's passing
Louis was close to Sharon, Ozzy and the Osbourne family for 15 years and reveals that Ozzy was 'a one-off, genuine, honest guy'.
Whenever they were out to dinner, Walsh says Ozzy never wanted to be the centre of attention.
'Ozzy wasn't showbizzy at all away from the stage,' Louis says.
Ozzy and Sharon stayed together through thick and thin
Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 27th
'He never played the showbiz card, he was always himself. It's only when he went on stage that he was the larger-than-life rocker.
'The Osbournes weren't what they appeared to be on their reality TV show.
'Ozzy, Sharon and the children, Kelly, Jack and Amy, were very much a family, a great family.'
Walsh loved Ozzy's sense of humour.
'He used to come down to The X Factor and he'd be the brightest and the funniest man in the dressing room,' Louis says.
Louis and Sharon
'Ozzy was always the life and soul of the party.'
Despite the fact that they had a turbulent life at times, with Ozzy admitting to cheating on Sharon with 'groupies', Walsh says that seeing them together there was no mistaking their genuine love for each other.
'Sharon would literally light up as soon as Ozzy walked into the room,' Louis says.
'They were best friends, they were soul mates. They understood each other. They would fight and laugh and joke and play music. They were a very solid unit.
'She idolised the man, she made him what he was and he idolised her. Sharon was his best friend and they lived their lives for each other. I've never seen two people more together and having fun all the time and creating something amazing.'
Although Louis and Sharon struck up a close bond while judges on The X Factor, the Mayo man admits their relationship got off to a frosty start before the show was launched.
Sharon and Ozzy with Kelly and Jack
'I had been on BBC Radio One reviewing records and I slated Kelly's cover of the Madonna song, Papa Don't Preach,' Louis recalls.
'Sharon was furious and even wrote a letter to Heat magazine in the UK complaining about me and asking, 'Who is he?'
'Then Simon [Cowell] said to me one day, 'Guess who I have, I've got Sharon Osbourne for X Factor.' And he laughed. So I had to just face the music with Sharon. Read more
'It took time for Sharon to come around, but she knew that I was just myself. We bonded on fun really, and the fact that I wasn't Simon's lap dog. She wasn't and I wasn't. And we used to laugh about him all the time.
'I was lucky to spend time with the Osbournes and I'm really fond of them. They are just normal people at the end of the day – I even remember giving out to Kelly one time for being rude to her mother.
'Although we all knew that he was unwell, I was shocked when the news came through on Tuesday that he had died at the age of 76.
'It is devastating for Sharon and the family. They had a great life.
'It's going to be so tough for her, but she has a great family who love her and she adores them.'
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