Sad news to report….

Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, his family has announced.

A statement from his family said: “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.”

He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.

As frontman of Black Sabbath, he was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene – a deeper, darker offshoot of hard rock.

His theatrical stage presence, including once biting off the head of a bat, and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness marked him out as a controversial figure.

Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands.

Earlier this month, he bid a farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion, telling thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park, Birmingham – a stone’s throw from where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 – that it was “so good to be on this stage” as he performed his last set from a large black throne.

Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert.

Osbourne married his first wife Thelma Riley in 1971 and became a stepfather to her son.

The couple also had two children but split in 1982 after, he admitted, his rock ‘n roll lifestyle meant he put her “through hell”.

He married Sharon, the daughter of his former Black Sabbath manager Don Arden, in July of that year.

The pair had met in the 1970s via her father and she took over managing Osbourne after he was booted from the heavy metal group.

Ozzy and Sharon had three children together: Jack, Kelly and Aimee.

The couple became an unlikely hit after starring between 2002 and 2005 in The Osbournes, which also launched the careers of Jack and Kelly, but the pair temporarily split in 2016.

Former X Factor judge Sharon later revealed they had tried marriage counselling to get their relationship back on track – but gave up because it made him angry.

In 2017, during an interview with music magazine Rolling Stone, he joked that the secret to his marriage was “don’t get caught with your mistress”.

He is quoted as telling Rolling Stone: “When I was a crazy f*****, I’m lucky she didn’t walk out. Now I’m coming on five years clean and sober, and I’ve realised what a f****** idiot I was. I mean, I’m still nuts, but in control of it a bit more.”

Osbourne added: “When I said, ‘Don’t get caught by your missus,’ I’m not proud of all that s***. I upset my wife and I upset my family and I made a lot of shock and shame. I love my wife, and it made me realise what a f****** idiot I’ve been.”

He also told the magazine he had taken up painting to relax and that he was “obsessed with Game Of Thrones”, the TV series based on George RR Martin’s books.

In 2016, he revealed he was undergoing “intense therapy” for a “sex addiction” that nearly resulted in the disintegration of his marriage but he later told The Times he was not a sex addict, saying: “I’m in a f****** rock band, aren’t I?”

In 2017, he and Sharon renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas.

Osbourne has also been a firm supporter of the health service, having been treated by NHS staff in 2003 after a near-fatal accident at his Buckinghamshire home left him with a fractured neck vertebra, fractured ribs and a broken collarbone.

In October 2018, he insisted he was not retiring, telling Rolling Stone: “In essence, what I’m trying to do is slow my lifestyle down to a more comfortable way of living.”

But within months he was forced to postpone another string of tour dates – including a show at the famous Hollywood Bowl – after suffering a fall at his Los Angeles home in April 2019.

In November 2019, he returned to the stage for a one-song performance at the American Music Awards alongside rappers Post Malone and Travis Scott.

The trio performed the song Take What You Want, from Malone’s album Hollywood’s Bleeding, although Osbourne spent most of the performance sat immobile in a gothic-style throne towards the back of the stage.

Another blow came in January 2020 when the singer revealed on US television that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which was discovered by doctors after a fall.

Sharon, who was at his side during the Good Morning America interview, said the diagnosis was “not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination”.

She added: “But it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.”

The musician was revealed to have a rare form of the disease called Parkin 2, which he had since birth.

In May 2022 Sharon shared the news that Ozzy had tested positive for Covid, and just days later she too tested positive.

In August that year he made a surprise appearance onstage in his home city of Birmingham to close out the 2022 Commonwealth Games, backed by Black Sabbath as fireworks lit up the sky.

But early in 2023 he announced via a lengthy statement on social media that following extensive spinal surgery he was not “physically capable” of doing his tour dates in Europe and the UK.

He said his singing voice was fine but that, following three operations, stem cell treatments, physical therapy sessions and more, his body was “still weak”.

Osbourne was scheduled to return to the stage in October 2023 at the Power Trip music festival in Indio, California, alongside other rock powerhouses including Metallica, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Guns N’ Roses.

However in July he once again was forced to bow out, saying he had been “optimistic” about a summer return but did not want the show to be “half-assed”.

Osbourne did not return to touring in 2024, but was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for a second time, one of the few to be given the honour.

He also took aim at US rapper Kanye West that same year, for sampling a Black Sabbath song after being refused permission, and Osbourne referred to his remarks about Jewish people.

Osbourne said on social media he did not want to be associated with West as he has brought “untold heartache to many”.

He bid farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion in his final live performance earlier this month.

The legendary rocker told thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5 that it was “so good to be on this stage” as he performed his last set from a large black throne.

Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Iommi, Butler and Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert.

Among the bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’Roses, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities, including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton.

In an emotional moment, Osbourne said: “I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Condolences to his friends, family and legions of fans around the world!!!!