Ozzy Osbourne fans will pay their respects to the heavy metal legend in a special procession through his home city of Birmingham on Wednesday afternoon. The Black Sabbath frontman, who played a farewell gig in the city earlier in the month, died at the age of 76 last Tuesday.
The hearse carrying Osbourne will make its way down Broad Street to the Black Sabbath bench and bridge from around 1pm. His family members are expected to watch the cortege, which will be accompanied by a live brass band.
Fans leave heartfelt tributes
Heartfelt messages and floral tributes have been left around the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days to honour the heavy metal star who was born in the Aston area of Birmingham. Members of the public have also signed a book of condolences, opened by Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery, which is currently holding an exhibition titled "Ozzy Osbourne (1948-2025): Working Class Hero".
Birmingham City Council collaborated with the Osbourne family in organising the procession, with the family funding all associated costs. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, praised the arrangement as a fitting tribute to the city's most famous musical son.
Freedom of the city honour
"Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," Iqbal said. "Having recently been awarded the Freedom of the City and following his celebrated appearance at the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral."
"We know how much this moment will mean to his fans," he added. "We're proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city is giving him the farewell he deserves."
Road closures in place
Broad Street will be closed to through traffic from 7am and buses and trams will be diverted during this time before the road reopens when the event finishes. Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates - Terence "Geezer" Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward - were recently given the freedom of the city of Birmingham, which recognises people's exceptional service to the city.
The group, which formed in 1968, are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal. Osbourne, who also had a successful solo career, found a new legion of fans when he appeared in the noughties reality TV series "The Osbournes", starring alongside his wife Sharon and two youngest children, Kelly and Jack.
Final performance remembered
The music star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, performed his last gig on July 5 in a concert that also saw performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N' Roses.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
