Ozzy Osbourne quits touring after ‘life-altering’ injuries

Ozzy Osbourne has been forced to hang up his microphone after revealing more about his health after suffering from a spinal injury accident.

Ozzy Osbourne has announced he will retire from touring. Picture: Supplied

Ozzy Osbourne has officially announced his retirement from touring, including scheduled 2023 tour dates.

The 74-year-old rocker revealed that suffering a spinal injury during an accident four years ago is preventing him from touring again.

Apologising to fans, Osbourne acknowledged he “never would have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way”.

Ozzy Osbourne performs at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The rocker has announced he can no longer tour. Picture: Michael Klein

“I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required,” Osbourne said in a statement posted to his social media accounts.

Sharon Osbourne described the rocker’s recent health issues as “life-altering”. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

The former Black Sabbath vocalist clarified that while his “singing voice is fine,” he remained physically weak after three operations, stem cell treatments, physical therapy and Hybrid Assistive Limb treatment, which uses a robotic exoskeleton to help improve movement.

Osbourne stood on a major stage as recently as last year when he headlined the Birmingham Commonwealth Games’ closing ceremony.

Ozzy Osbourne has battled serious health issues in recent years. Picture: Supplied.

“My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country,” he added.

Osbourne was discharged from a Los Angeles hospital last June after undergoing what his wife Sharon described as “a major operation” that would “determine the rest of his life.”

This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans… pic.twitter.com/aXGw3fjImo

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) February 1, 2023

The rocker’s “life-altering” surgery involved removing and realigning pins in his neck and back.

Along with Parkinson’s and a battle with Covid, the musician has also been dealing with the ramifications of a 2003 quad-biking accident, reported the New York Post.

Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Jack Osbourne at an event in London in 2015. Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage

Osbourne also underwent an operation after suffering a bad fall in 2019. He had surgery on his neck which messed up his nerves.

Osbourne opened up about his physical ailments and his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease in an interview with The Observer.

“With the pressing on the spinal column, I got nerve pain,” Osbourne said.

“I’d never f***ing heard of nerve pain! You know when you’re a kid, and you’re playing with snow and your hands get really cold? Then you go in and you pour on hot water, and they start getting warm? And you get those chills? And it f***ing hurts? It’s like that.”

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have faced their share of difficulties in recent years. Picture: AFP

“The screws had come loose, and were chipping away at the bone. And the debris had lodged under his spine,” wife Sharon Osbourne explained to the outlet about his back issues.

The decision to step away from touring is one Osbourne has been dreading, admitting in September 2022 that performing on the stage is “where I belong.”

“The relationship I have with my audience is the biggest love affair of my life,” he added at the time.

Last December, Sharon Osbourne also was rushed to the hospital after a medical emergency. Their son Jack revealed his mother was filming an episode of Night of Terror before the incident occurred.

In addition to Kelly and Jack, the Osbournes also share daughter Aimee. The rocker also has Louis and Jessica from his previous marriage to ex-wife Thelma Riley.