Ozzy Osbourne Has Died at 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy-metal superstar and a pioneer in the world of reality television, died on Tuesday after a yearslong battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 76.

“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,” Osbourne’s family shared in a statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Perhaps most famous as the front man for Black Sabbath’s genre-defining run in the ’70s, Osbourne found a new kind of stardom in the early aughts with MTV’s The Osbournes. The reality show was the first of its kind, documenting the home life of a famous family and all the absurdity that came along with it. The first real celebrity reality star, Osbourne paved the way for the likes of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and, of course, Kim Kardashian.

Just two weeks ago, Osbourne performed at what was billed as the final Black Sabbath show at the Back to the Beginning festival in his hometown of Birmingham, England. Osbourne sat for the show but rocked out nonetheless. He was joined by several artists he had inspired over the years, including Steven Tyler, Billy Corgan, and Tom Morello. “It’s so good to be on this stage. You have no idea,” Osbourne told the crowd.

Following news of Osbourne’s death, several of his famous friends shared their condolences on social media.

Click here to preview your posts with PRO themes ››

Osbourne is survived by Sharon Osbourne, his wife of 43 years, their three children — Aimee, Jack, and Kelly — and his three children from a previous marriage, Louis, Elliott, and Jessica.