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The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
From bat-biting antics & drug battles to rollercoaster reality show – how Ozzy truly earned title of Prince of Darkness
THERE was never any doubt what would be on his gravestone, according to the rocker himself: 'Here lies Ozzy Osbourne. He bit the head off a bat.' The singer - dubbed the 14 Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has passed away aged 76 Credit: Getty 14 He was dubbed the 'Prince of Darkness' Credit: Redferns 14 He once famously bit the head off a bat Credit: Getty 14 The 1982 bat-biting stunt left Ozzy needing a rabies injection Ozzy - who has died aged 76 following a long battle with Parkinson's disease, just 17 days after playing a farewell gig with his band Black Sabbath - later recalled: 'Immediately, something felt wrong.' There was a foul taste, and he felt the severed head twitch in his mouth. Next thing the singer knew he was being rushed to A&E for emergency rabies shots. The teenage bat-thrower later insisted it was already dead, but Ozzy always maintained he felt it moving. Read more on Ozzy Osbourne 'If it's end of the road, I can't complain' How Ozzy Osbourne Emotional moment Whatever the truth, the incident grabbed global headlines and overshadowed a career of mind-boggling firsts. The Brummie - whose full name is John Michael Osbourne - started out as the wild frontman of the band credited with inventing heavy metal. He went on to help create a whole new genre of TV in 2002 as part of a ground-breaking reality series, The Osbournes, starring him, his manager-wife Sharon, 72, and two of their three children - Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39. Most read in Celebrity Their eldest daughter Aimee, 41, refused to take part in the MTV show because she didn't want to 'grow up on camera' and left home aged 16 as a result - something Sharon has since admitted she regrets deeply. The series, which ran for four years and paved the way for Paris Hilton and the Kardashians, won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program and at its peak, Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly and Jack were earning £3.7million each per season. Ozzy Osbourne top five greatest moments It followed Sharon's battle with colon cancer and Ozzy's near-miss in a quad bike crash, which kicked off years of failing health for the rocker. Ozzy admitted he was stunned by its success, telling Hot Press in December 2002: "I mean, before we did the TV show, I was Ozzy Osbourne the legendary rock'n'roller, and now I'm this f------ demi-god!" he added. "I'm on the front of all these f------ magazines ... f--- me, it's mad!" While Ozzy stepped away from the limelight following the end of the series, it kickstarted Sharon's reality TV career, with her joining the judging panel on The X Factor from 2004 until 2007, followed by America's Got Talent from 2007-2012, The Celebrity Apprentice in 2010 and Celeb Big Brother last year. Whirlwind romance Ozzy survived decades of booze and drug addiction which were regularly found to be at 'lethal' levels in his blood - and nearly cost him two marriages. As he said in March 2023, aged 74: 'I should have been dead a long time ago.' In 1971, aged 22, Ozzy married nightclub attendant Thelma Riley after a whirlwind romance, but quickly decided it was 'a terrible mistake'. So he numbed himself with booze and cocaine, which he got sent over from the US via air mail. Off his head, he would use a semi automatic to shoot mannequins he tied to trees at their cottage in Ranton, Staffs. And once, when Thelma asked Ozzy to feed her chickens, he instead shot them dead. He later admitted he also hit her. And he confessed he had been a 'disgusting' father to their two kids, Jessica, 53, and Louis, 50. When Thelma was in labour with Jessica, Ozzy insisted on driving her to hospital despite being intoxicated and not holding a licence. Ozzy's volatile behaviour from his drinking and drug abuse eventually saw the couple separate in the late 70s, with their divorce finalised in 1982. Even Ozzy's fellow bandmates could not stand his behaviour, and he was sacked from Black Sabbath on April 27, 1979. He thought it was the end, and locked himself in a hotel room for a three-month bender. Then one day, Sharon Levy turned up at the door. He later said of the woman who became his second wife: 'If it weren't for her, without a shadow of a doubt, I would be dead.' 14 Ozzy with his wife Sharon Credit: Rex 14 Ozzy and Sharon with their son Jack and daughters Kelly and Aimee in 1986 Credit: Getty - Contributor 14 The family had this cute snap taken in the USA Credit: Getty 14 Ozzy was a worldwide rock icon Credit: Handout 14 But he famously had his share of ups and downs during his whirlwind life Credit: Rex Features Sharon, then 27, was the daughter of Black Sabbath's manager Don Arden. They'd first met when she was 18 and working as her dad's receptionist. The singer wrote in his autobiography I Am Ozzy: 'I fell for Sharon so badly, man.' Sharon convinced the wreck that he could be a solo star, and that she should be the one to manage him. Debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz was released in September 1980 and went on to sell more than five million copies. She also amped up his satanic image, encouraging stage antics such as flinging animal entrails into the audience. It was during one of these innards-soaked shows that the infamous bat-biting episode took place, in Des Moines, Iowa on January 20, 1982. Years later Ozzy would moan: 'It's all my f***ing career is about, a f***ing bat.' 'Attempted murder ' Sharon and Ozzy wed in Hawaii on July 4, 1982, soon after Ozzy's divorce from Thelma, and welcomed daughter Aimee a year later. While Ozzy's solo career soared, so did his appetite for booze, illegal drugs and prescription pills. He later said: 'I was a beast. Absolutely terrifying.' The worst moment came in the early hours of September 3, 1989, when a zonked Ozzy told his wife: 'It's clear that you have to die,' before trying to strangle her. She fought him off and Ozzy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, but Sharon later dropped the charges and he spent three months in rehab. Sharon told the Guardian in 2001: 'He was totally insane from all the drink and drugs he was doing, and well, these things happen.' Ozzy admitted once killing 17 of his family's cats while high on drugs, admitting: 'We had about 17, and I went crazy and shot them all. My wife found me under the piano in a white suit, a shotgun in one hand and a knife in the other.' The couple renewed their vows on an episode of The Osbournes, with Ozzy vowing to stay sober after he passed out in the hotel corridor on their original wedding day. However, true to form, he got so drunk he passed out again. Shock affair In 2016, Sharon took an overdose of pills after finding out Ozzy had a four-year affair with hairdresser Michelle Pugh. She told Loose Women: 'I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean the room and saw me.' Pugh described their relationship as 'life changing', claiming he made her feel like 'the most beautiful and worshipped woman in the world', and it was 'a struggle every day' when it ended. Sharon decided to end their 34-year marriage but forgave him months later, and has stood by him for the rest of his life. She explained in her memoir Unbreakable: 'As much as he's addicted to alcohol and drugs, I'm addicted to him.' The son of factory workers, Ozzy grew up in Aston, Birmingham. His mum was a keen singer and got her six kids to take part in 'family shows' at home. Ozzy's debut was at one of these gatherings, singing Cliff Richard's hit Living Doll. But he later admitted: 'I was a very nervous kid. Fear of impending doom ruled my life.' He struggled at school because of undiagnosed dyslexia, and left aged 15 for short-lived jobs including killing pigs in a slaughterhouse. Then he tried his hand at burglary, stealing shirts from a local shop. He was quickly nicked and, aged 17, spent six weeks in Birmingham's Winson Green prison. When released in the winter of 1966, he decided to have a go at the one thing he loved to do: singing. Ozzy later wrote that his dream had begun when he first heard The Beatles in 1963. He recalled: 'A light went on … for the first time I felt as though my life had meaning.' So he put up an inaccurate advert in a Birmingham music shop, which read: 'Ozzy Zig Needs Gig. Experienced frontman, owns own PA system.' Soon bassist Terry 'Geezer' Butler showed up on his doorstep. And eventually the same advert also drew guitarist and composer Tony Iommi. Together with drummer Bill Ward, they formed a group that started out under the name The Polka Tulk Blues Band, turned into Earth – and then finally became Black Sabbath. Ozzy said his main role from the start was to be 'the madman'. 14 Ozzy with the other members of Black Sabbath Credit: Getty 14 The band, pictured in 1970, were a worldwide phenomenon Credit: Getty 14 Ozzy said his role was to be the 'madman' Credit: Alamy 14 The rock legend made his final appearance at Villa Park Credit: @RossHalfin They played standard 12-bar blues at tiny gigs until Iommi noticed people queuing to see gothic Hammer Horror movies. He then decided to have a go at writing a song that 'sounded evil'. The result was the 1969 track Black Sabbath that immediately inspired the band to rename itself. Ominous, dark and doom-laden, with Ozzy's compelling monotone voice, it was unlike anything that had come before it. Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford later described it as 'probably the most evil song ever written'. Soon they had a record deal and their self-titled first album was released on Friday the 13th of February, 1970 - now widely considered the day heavy metal was born. It was a monster hit around the world and charismatic Ozzy was soon christened the Prince of Darkness. Health battle Although Ozzy managed a reunion with Black Sabbath, complete with a No1 album in 2011, and several tours, his health declined as he suffered from worsening tremors. A fall in 2019 left him in chronic pain. The following year he announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's and in 2023 he cancelled a planned world tour for health reasons. By that stage, according to Sharon, his main hobby was watching the History Channel. On July 5 this year, Ozzy played his final show - billed as Back to the Beginning - alongside the original Black Sabbath line up at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham. Performing on a black throne a stone's throw from the pokey two-bedroomed home where he'd grown up, he was cheered by a crowd of over 40,000 spectators and nearly six million watching on livestream. Despite claiming he needed to have his blood pressure taken 15 times a day before his death, Ozzy had always been more concerned about Sharon's health than his own. Asked in 2022 what he would do if she died before him, he said: 'That's a f***ing no-no for me.' For his own part, he once told his wife: 'I want to be put in the ground in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree planted over my head.' He also said: 'It's ridiculous, really. My life should never have happened the way it did. But believe me, I'm grateful." 14 Ozzy's health never dampened his rock 'n' roll spirit Credit: @RossHalfin
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
From bat-biting antics & drug battles to rollercoaster reality show – how Ozzy truly earned title of Prince of Darkness
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE was never any doubt what would be on his gravestone, according to the rocker himself: 'Here lies Ozzy Osbourne. He bit the head off a bat.' The singer - dubbed the Prince of Darkness - always played up to his satanic image, so when a fan hurled what looked like a creepy rubber toy at him on stage in January 1982, he put its head in his mouth and chomped. 14 Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has passed away aged 76 Credit: Getty 14 He was dubbed the 'Prince of Darkness' Credit: Redferns 14 He once famously bit the head off a bat Credit: Getty 14 The 1982 bat-biting stunt left Ozzy needing a rabies injection Ozzy - who has died aged 76 following a long battle with Parkinson's disease, just 17 days after playing a farewell gig with his band Black Sabbath - later recalled: 'Immediately, something felt wrong.' There was a foul taste, and he felt the severed head twitch in his mouth. Next thing the singer knew he was being rushed to A&E for emergency rabies shots. The teenage bat-thrower later insisted it was already dead, but Ozzy always maintained he felt it moving. Whatever the truth, the incident grabbed global headlines and overshadowed a career of mind-boggling firsts. The Brummie - whose full name is John Michael Osbourne - started out as the wild frontman of the band credited with inventing heavy metal. He went on to help create a whole new genre of TV in 2002 as part of a ground-breaking reality series, The Osbournes, starring him, his manager-wife Sharon, 72, and two of their three children - Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39. Their eldest daughter Aimee, 41, refused to take part in the MTV show because she didn't want to 'grow up on camera' and left home aged 16 as a result - something Sharon has since admitted she regrets deeply. The series, which ran for four years and paved the way for Paris Hilton and the Kardashians, won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program and at its peak, Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly and Jack were earning £3.7million each per season. Ozzy Osbourne top five greatest moments It followed Sharon's battle with colon cancer and Ozzy's near-miss in a quad bike crash, which kicked off years of failing health for the rocker. Ozzy admitted he was stunned by its success, telling Hot Press in December 2002: "I mean, before we did the TV show, I was Ozzy Osbourne the legendary rock'n'roller, and now I'm this f------ demi-god!" he added. "I'm on the front of all these f------ magazines ... f--- me, it's mad!" While Ozzy stepped away from the limelight following the end of the series, it kickstarted Sharon's reality TV career, with her joining the judging panel on The X Factor from 2004 until 2007, followed by America's Got Talent from 2007-2012, The Celebrity Apprentice in 2010 and Celeb Big Brother last year. Whirlwind romance Ozzy survived decades of booze and drug addiction which were regularly found to be at 'lethal' levels in his blood - and nearly cost him two marriages. As he said in March 2023, aged 74: 'I should have been dead a long time ago.' In 1971, aged 22, Ozzy married nightclub attendant Thelma Riley after a whirlwind romance, but quickly decided it was 'a terrible mistake'. So he numbed himself with booze and cocaine, which he got sent over from the US via air mail. Off his head, he would use a semi automatic to shoot mannequins he tied to trees at their cottage in Ranton, Staffs. And once, when Thelma asked Ozzy to feed her chickens, he instead shot them dead. He later admitted he also hit her. And he confessed he had been a 'disgusting' father to their two kids, Jessica, 53, and Louis, 50. When Thelma was in labour with Jessica, Ozzy insisted on driving her to hospital despite being intoxicated and not holding a licence. Ozzy's volatile behaviour from his drinking and drug abuse eventually saw the couple separate in the late 70s, with their divorce finalised in 1982. Even Ozzy's fellow bandmates could not stand his behaviour, and he was sacked from Black Sabbath on April 27, 1979. He thought it was the end, and locked himself in a hotel room for a three-month bender. Then one day, Sharon Levy turned up at the door. He later said of the woman who became his second wife: 'If it weren't for her, without a shadow of a doubt, I would be dead.' 14 Ozzy with his wife Sharon Credit: Rex 14 Ozzy and Sharon with their son Jack and daughters Kelly and Aimee in 1986 Credit: Getty - Contributor 14 The family had this cute snap taken in the USA Credit: Getty 14 Ozzy was a worldwide rock icon Credit: Handout 14 But he famously had his share of ups and downs during his whirlwind life Credit: Rex Features Sharon, then 27, was the daughter of Black Sabbath's manager Don Arden. They'd first met when she was 18 and working as her dad's receptionist. The singer wrote in his autobiography I Am Ozzy: 'I fell for Sharon so badly, man.' Sharon convinced the wreck that he could be a solo star, and that she should be the one to manage him. Debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz was released in September 1980 and went on to sell more than five million copies. She also amped up his satanic image, encouraging stage antics such as flinging animal entrails into the audience. It was during one of these innards-soaked shows that the infamous bat-biting episode took place, in Des Moines, Iowa on January 20, 1982. Years later Ozzy would moan: 'It's all my f***ing career is about, a f***ing bat.' 'Attempted murder' Sharon and Ozzy wed in Hawaii on July 4, 1982, soon after Ozzy's divorce from Thelma, and welcomed daughter Aimee a year later. While Ozzy's solo career soared, so did his appetite for booze, illegal drugs and prescription pills. He later said: 'I was a beast. Absolutely terrifying.' The worst moment came in the early hours of September 3, 1989, when a zonked Ozzy told his wife: 'It's clear that you have to die,' before trying to strangle her. She fought him off and Ozzy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, but Sharon later dropped the charges and he spent three months in rehab. Sharon told the Guardian in 2001: 'He was totally insane from all the drink and drugs he was doing, and well, these things happen.' Ozzy admitted once killing 17 of his family's cats while high on drugs, admitting: 'We had about 17, and I went crazy and shot them all. My wife found me under the piano in a white suit, a shotgun in one hand and a knife in the other.' The couple renewed their vows on an episode of The Osbournes, with Ozzy vowing to stay sober after he passed out in the hotel corridor on their original wedding day. However, true to form, he got so drunk he passed out again. Shock affair In 2016, Sharon took an overdose of pills after finding out Ozzy had a four-year affair with hairdresser Michelle Pugh. She told Loose Women: 'I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean the room and saw me.' Pugh described their relationship as 'life changing', claiming he made her feel like 'the most beautiful and worshipped woman in the world', and it was 'a struggle every day' when it ended. Sharon decided to end their 34-year marriage but forgave him months later, and has stood by him for the rest of his life. She explained in her memoir Unbreakable: 'As much as he's addicted to alcohol and drugs, I'm addicted to him.' The son of factory workers, Ozzy grew up in Aston, Birmingham. His mum was a keen singer and got her six kids to take part in 'family shows' at home. Ozzy's debut was at one of these gatherings, singing Cliff Richard's hit Living Doll. But he later admitted: 'I was a very nervous kid. Fear of impending doom ruled my life.' He struggled at school because of undiagnosed dyslexia, and left aged 15 for short-lived jobs including killing pigs in a slaughterhouse. Then he tried his hand at burglary, stealing shirts from a local shop. He was quickly nicked and, aged 17, spent six weeks in Birmingham's Winson Green prison. When released in the winter of 1966, he decided to have a go at the one thing he loved to do: singing. Ozzy later wrote that his dream had begun when he first heard The Beatles in 1963. He recalled: 'A light went on … for the first time I felt as though my life had meaning.' So he put up an inaccurate advert in a Birmingham music shop, which read: 'Ozzy Zig Needs Gig. Experienced frontman, owns own PA system.' Soon bassist Terry 'Geezer' Butler showed up on his doorstep. And eventually the same advert also drew guitarist and composer Tony Iommi. Together with drummer Bill Ward, they formed a group that started out under the name The Polka Tulk Blues Band, turned into Earth – and then finally became Black Sabbath. Ozzy said his main role from the start was to be 'the madman'. 14 Ozzy with the other members of Black Sabbath Credit: Getty 14 The band, pictured in 1970, were a worldwide phenomenon Credit: Getty 14 Ozzy said his role was to be the 'madman' Credit: Alamy 14 The rock legend made his final appearance at Villa Park Credit: @RossHalfin They played standard 12-bar blues at tiny gigs until Iommi noticed people queuing to see gothic Hammer Horror movies. He then decided to have a go at writing a song that 'sounded evil'. The result was the 1969 track Black Sabbath that immediately inspired the band to rename itself. Ominous, dark and doom-laden, with Ozzy's compelling monotone voice, it was unlike anything that had come before it. Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford later described it as 'probably the most evil song ever written'. Soon they had a record deal and their self-titled first album was released on Friday the 13th of February, 1970 - now widely considered the day heavy metal was born. It was a monster hit around the world and charismatic Ozzy was soon christened the Prince of Darkness. Health battle Although Ozzy managed a reunion with Black Sabbath, complete with a No1 album in 2011, and several tours, his health declined as he suffered from worsening tremors. A fall in 2019 left him in chronic pain. The following year he announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's and in 2023 he cancelled a planned world tour for health reasons. By that stage, according to Sharon, his main hobby was watching the History Channel. On July 5 this year, Ozzy played his final show - billed as Back to the Beginning - alongside the original Black Sabbath line up at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham. Performing on a black throne a stone's throw from the pokey two-bedroomed home where he'd grown up, he was cheered by a crowd of over 40,000 spectators and nearly six million watching on livestream. Despite claiming he needed to have his blood pressure taken 15 times a day before his death, Ozzy had always been more concerned about Sharon's health than his own. Asked in 2022 what he would do if she died before him, he said: 'That's a f***ing no-no for me.' For his own part, he once told his wife: 'I want to be put in the ground in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree planted over my head.' He also said: 'It's ridiculous, really. My life should never have happened the way it did. But believe me, I'm grateful."
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Sir Cliff Richard, 84, says he ‘might be dead next year' as he reveals plans to quit touring
SIR Cliff Richard has revealed he "could be dead in a year", as he makes a sad revelation which will shock his fans. In a candid interview, The Young Ones singer, 84, spoke honestly about the future of his tours, as he gave his die-hard followers a heartbreaking update. Advertisement 5 Cliff Richard has revealed he could be 'dead next year' Credit: Getty 5 The much-loved star has revealed the future of his tours Credit: Getty 5 The star has been thrilling fans with his tours for many - seen here in the 80s Credit: Getty 5 Cliff burst onto the scene as a teenager Credit: Redferns Sir Cliff has enjoyed an incredible career which has spanned almost seven decades. Over that huge amount of time, the star, affectionally known as the Peter Pan of Pop, has been constantly touring. However, Speaking to New Zealand radio station Coast, he admitted that he can't do most of his old dance moves on stage anymore. Advertisement Read more on Sir cliff 'I don't want to be an 85-year-old guy trying to be 18,' he told them. Cliff is currently touring in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the UK in November. However, he has admitted that lately he has started to think about his own mortality. Asked if his Can't Stop Me Now tour could be a farewell tour, Cliff replied: 'I don't know. I might be dead the next year! Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Breaking Exclusive Exclusive "So I don't even think about it anymore. It's one of those things. As I get older maybe I'll become less able to perform, so I can't say…' The Bachelor Boy star admitted that the constant touring had started to take its toll. Cliff Richard arrives for Day 11 of Wimbledon 'The thing I would have to give up probably at some time is touring," Cliff revealed. "It's very wearing, and you never know when you wake up in the morning whether your voice is still there." Advertisement The singer - who shot to fame in the late 50s - said: 'I don't want to try and be 18 anymore. "I like singing now, I'm as excited now as I was when I came [to New Zealand] last time. 5 Cliff revealed that constant touring has 'taken a toll' Credit: Getty "And I'm sure the audience will see that we - the big band and I - are friends and almost a family when we're on tour. Advertisement "So we'll try and do something that will make it look as though I'm 18! But I'm not.' Cliff, who has sold more than 260 million records worldwide, has enjoyed huge sucess since bursting onto the scene as a teenger. His hits include Living Doll, Summer Holiday, Devil Woman, and We Don't Talk Anymore. While it wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't hear Sir Cliff's hit song Mistletoe And Wine . Advertisement His No1 hits include The Young Ones, Congratulations, Saviour's Day and Millennium Prayer, plus many more.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Sir Cliff Richard, 84, says he ‘might be dead next year' as he reveals plans to quit touring
Scroll to find out what the legendary star said about his future on the road CLIFF FEARS Sir Cliff Richard, 84, says he 'might be dead next year' as he reveals plans to quit touring Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIR Cliff Richard has revealed he "could be dead in a year", as he makes a sad revelation which will shock his fans. In a candid interview, The Young Ones singer, 84, spoke honestly about the future of his tours, as he gave his die-hard followers a heartbreaking update. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Cliff Richard has revealed he could be 'dead next year' Credit: Getty 5 The much-loved star has revealed the future of his tours Credit: Getty 5 The star has been thrilling fans with his tours for many - seen here in the 80s Credit: Getty 5 Cliff burst onto the scene as a teenager Credit: Redferns Sir Cliff has enjoyed an incredible career which has spanned almost seven decades. Over that huge amount of time, the star, affectionally known as the Peter Pan of Pop, has been constantly touring. However, Cliff, who will turn 85 in October, has admitted he may have to quit touring, as he gets older. Speaking to New Zealand radio station Coast, he admitted that he can't do most of his old dance moves on stage anymore. 'I don't want to be an 85-year-old guy trying to be 18,' he told them. Cliff is currently touring in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the UK in November. However, he has admitted that lately he has started to think about his own mortality. Asked if his Can't Stop Me Now tour could be a farewell tour, Cliff replied: 'I don't know. I might be dead the next year! "So I don't even think about it anymore. It's one of those things. As I get older maybe I'll become less able to perform, so I can't say…' The Bachelor Boy star admitted that the constant touring had started to take its toll. Cliff Richard arrives for Day 11 of Wimbledon 'The thing I would have to give up probably at some time is touring," Cliff revealed. "It's very wearing, and you never know when you wake up in the morning whether your voice is still there." The singer - who shot to fame in the late 50s - said: 'I don't want to try and be 18 anymore. "I like singing now, I'm as excited now as I was when I came [to New Zealand] last time. 5 Cliff revealed that constant touring has 'taken a toll' Credit: Getty "And I'm sure the audience will see that we - the big band and I - are friends and almost a family when we're on tour. "So we'll try and do something that will make it look as though I'm 18! But I'm not.' Cliff, who has sold more than 260 million records worldwide, has enjoyed huge sucess since bursting onto the scene as a teenger. His hits include Living Doll, Summer Holiday, Devil Woman, and We Don't Talk Anymore. While it wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't hear Sir Cliff's hit song Mistletoe And Wine. His No1 hits include The Young Ones, Congratulations, Saviour's Day and Millennium Prayer, plus many more.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Beyonce teases surprise move away from country music for next album – with name a nod to ‘flamboyant' music legend
Find out how Sabrina Carpenter chose to unwind after one of the biggest shows of her career BEY'S NEW BET Beyonce teases surprise move away from country music for next album – with name a nod to 'flamboyant' music legend Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHE dabbled in dance with chart-topping record Renaissance, then country with Cowboy Carter, and now it seems Beyonce is about to become a fully-fledged rock star. The Texas Hold 'Em singer has been dropping hints that her next album will be called Betty Black — and she is already teasing a corresponding tour before her current one has even finished. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 9 Beyonce had a nod to American singer and model Betty Davis ahead of the release of her new album Credit: Instagram/@beyonce 9 Beyonce is planning to release her new album next year and has another tour in the works Credit: Redferns Her 32-date Cowboy Carter trek finishes a week today in Las Vegas, but the website now redirects to her own site. It is believed that the title is a bid to reclaim the 1977 song Black Betty by Ram Jam, which has its roots in African-American music and has become controversial in recent years due to its connection with a whip used on enslaved people in prisons. It is likely to also be a nod to late American singer and model Betty Davis, who was publicly scorned for her sexually liberating lyrics and funk-rock sound, which led to her being boycotted by radio and TV stations. Betty has been described as 'wildly flamboyant', with the 'gritty emotional realism of Tina Turner, the futurist fashion sense of David Bowie and the trend–setting flair of Miles Davis,' the latter of whom she was briefly married to. And it wouldn't be the first time Beyonce has referenced her. On a remix of her Renaissance song Break My Soul, Beyonce sang 'Betty Davis, we love you', and on her Cowboy Carter track Bodyguard, she sang 'Davis in my bones'. Bey went on to dress up as her for Halloween last year and, in a video for her GQ cover story to promote her whisky brand SirDavis, the Betty Davis song They Say I'm Different was used. In another teaser about the Betty Black title, during her Cowboy Carter tour show, a newspaper appears on a screen behind her which has the headline: 'Betty Black tour sold out.' And fans reckon they have worked out that her next album will be released on May 29, 2026, given she has picked Friday the 29th to release her last two records, and that is the next time the 29th falls on a Friday. Blue Ivy looks IDENTICAL to mom Beyonce as she arrives in Paris with dad Jay-Z The project will wrap up a trilogy of albums, which she announced when Renaissance came out in 2022. In a message on her website at the time, she said: 'This three-act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. 'Thank you to all of the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognised for far too long. This is a celebration for you.' Bey has been vocal about her love for rock'n'rollers like Betty and Tina Turner — who has inspired several outfits on her latest tour. So I'm excited to see what she's cooked up, even if we do have a ten-month wait on our hands. It Girl Sabrina 9 Sabrina Carpenter flew to Tuscany where she treated her pals to a luxury getaway Credit: Supplied SABRINA CARPENTER celebrated the biggest shows of her career by jetting off to a £6,500-a-night villa in Italy to unwind. I can reveal that after performing to 130,000 fans during two shows at BST Hyde Park in London earlier this month, she flew to Tuscany where she treated her pals to a luxury getaway. They stayed at the 600-year-old Villa I Busini which has seven bedrooms, a pool, walled gardens and a chef to make them breakfast. The Espresso singer shared photos on Instagram of her well-deserved holiday. She has had a stratospheric 18 months with a world tour and hit album Short n' Sweet, which spent a whopping 46 weeks in the Top Five. On top of that, she has somehow found the time to record an entirely new album, Man's Best Friend, which will be released on August 29. The first single Manchild has already gone to No1 and I've no doubt the follow-ups will be huge too. I hope workaholic Sabrina managed to switch off on her break, because the rest of the year is going to be even busier. New twist in Leigh-Anne's tale 9 Leigh-Anne showed off her flexibility in a promo photo for her new single Been A Minute Credit: Niklas Haze LEIGH-ANNE gets a foot up on her competition as she samples a Noughties favourite for her comeback tune. The former Little Mix star, who is now going it alone as an independent artist, showed off her flexibility in a promo photo for her new single Been A Minute, which features the hook from the 2001 Masters At Work song, Work. Also back with new music is Tinie Tempah with his song Eat It Up, with East LA, Jayo with Turning Me On and Robbie Williams' Spies, from his album BritPop, due out on October 10. I also recommend newcomer Nectar Woode's sublime EP It's Like I Never Left, while Robert Plant has put out Everybody's Song, from his upcoming album Saving Grace. Ahead of the new series of Line Of Duty, Vicky McClure has shown off her vocal skills as a guest singer on Reverend & The Makers' new single Haircut. And after racking up half a million views in a fortnight, Yungblud has released his breathtaking cover of Black Sabbath's Changes, recorded at their Back To The Beginning farewell concert, to raise money for charity. 9 Alex Warren says he was not a fan of his own mega-hit Ordinary when he first wrote it Credit: Getty ALEX WARREN admitted he 'hated' his song Ordinary when he first wrote it – despite it going on to become the biggest track of the year, spending 13 weeks at No1. On Hits Radio Breakfast yesterday, the American musician, below, explained: 'When we first wrote it, I actually hated it. 'I hated it when it was just us on a guitar, like, we didn't really do anything to it. 'We were still writing it and I was like, 'It just doesn't sound like a record I'd put out.' 'And then I sang it and I was like, 'OK, let's see where this goes.' "And we started putting stuff into the file and it sounded insane when we started adding the choir and everyone on top of it, and I was like, 'Holy shoot. This is amazing.'' Sir Paul's piano made BGT Tom very Abbey 9 Britain's Got Talent star Tom Ball was pictured at Abbey Road with wife Hannah and daughter Adeline Credit: Supplied BRITAIN'S Got Talent singer songwriter Tom Ball is following in the footsteps of greatness. The vocal powerhouse, who released new single Timeless last month, got to use Sir Paul McCartney's piano at Abbey Road studios when working on new music. He told Bizarre: 'It was really amazing. I got to play on the piano when I was in Abbey Road and there's just so much history. You could still feel the dents in the keys where he used to play.' Tom, pictured at Abbey Road with wife Hannah and their six-month-old daughter Adeline, will release second album Spotlight on October 10. He is also playing shows around the globe, including in the US, where he gained new fans after winning America's Got Talent: All-Stars in 2023. But the ex-teacher admitted that he isn't too proud to go back to the classroom. Tom said: 'I love what I do but teaching was fun too. I'd go back. 'Right now I'm making a lot of music. I have my own studio at home, which is great.' 9 Katy Perry shared a picture on TikTok wrapped head to toe in a dressing gown Credit: TikTok KATY PERRY is still up for a laugh despite her split from Orlando Bloom. She shared a video on her secret TikTok page of herself wrapped head to toe in a dressing gown as she left the Kia Forum in Los Angeles following her latest Lifetimes Tour gig. The Firework singer has been posting all sorts of silly clips @urmom_ontour – although not many fans have realised it's actually her. I just want to wrap myself up in my dressing gown sometimes too, Katy. Margot gin treat a tonic 9 Margot Robbie shocked punters at a bar in London by buying a round of drinks Credit: MARGOT ROBBIE is a woman after my own heart, having forked out for a massive round of drinks for surprised punters. The Barbie actress was at a restaurant with her movie producer husband Tom Ackerley and a group of mates when she shouted to everyone she was giving them all a treat. One of the lucky diners at Bondi Green in Paddington, West London told me: 'We were eating lunch and then sudden-ly Margot stood up and said she was buying every single person a drink. 'She had the bar staff make cocktails from her Papa Salt gin and had them served to everyone who wanted one. 'It was a lovely gesture and she was in great spirits – very relaxed and friendly.' That's a sure-fire way to win people over. And an easy way to plug her booze brand. JOJO SIWA's Infinity Heart Tour will head to the UK in October with gigs at Newcastle, London, Manchester, Brighton and Birmingham. The Celebrity Big Brother finalist has just released a cover of Bette Davis Eyes, but we've been told she is also working on original music. Safe to say Bizarre's Jack will be there front and centre. Simon's Aston smarting 9 Kate Thornton has shared an old secret about how The X Factor was filmed Credit: Getty FORMER X Factor host Kate Thornton has finally revealed why the judges' houses section of the show did not take place at the panel's actual homes. She has claimed that someone damaged one of Simon Cowell's cars when they did film at his plush pad and he decided never to let them in again. Kate who hosted X Factor from 2004 to 2006, said on her White Wine Question Time podcast: 'Do you know why we'd gone to Spain? The year before, we'd done it in Simon's actual house. 'Somebody had driven something into one of his cars, the Aston or something. 'He was trying to pretend not to be p***ed off – but he was really p***ed off. 'So he was like, 'We're taking it abroad.''
