Ozzy Osbourne has broken his silence after news broke that the BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife are splitting.
“I have been sober for three and a quarter years,” Ozzy shared with E! News exclusively. “I have not touched drugs or alcohol in that time. Any reports that I am not sober are completely inaccurate.”
Multiple sources, including E! News and Us Weekly, reported on Sunday (May 8) that Ozzy and his wife of 33 years, Sharon Osbourne, had split up. A source told E! News that Ozzy had agreed to move out of the couple’s house at least temporarily, and that the breakup had nothing to do with Ozzy’s sobriety. The BLACK SABBATH singer has reportedly been clean and sober after falling off the wagon for an 18-month period in 2011 and 2012.
British tabloid The Sun reported that the split came about after Sharon discovered that Ozzy was having an affair with a celebrity hairstylist. A source told People that the rumors were “sort of true,” but also added that they would not be surprised if the couple worked things out, saying “He’ll be back.”
Sharon took over Ozzy’s management from her father Don Arden in 1980 and helped launch his hugely successful solo career after he was booted from SABBATH in 1979. The two got married on July 4, 1982.
This is not the first time Sharon and Ozzy have separated. Back in 2013, Sharon admitted she was considering divorcing Ozzy after he relapsed on alcohol and drugs. But she said on her daytime show “The Talk”: “We’re not getting divorced. However, am I happy? No. Am I upset? Yes I am. I’m devastated right now… We’ve dealt with worse. We’re dealing with it and this too shall pass.”
Ozzy has previously credited Sharon for saving his life, saying, “I’m alive because I’ve got a strong wife, I think. I didn’t expect to live past 30. I remember when I was 21 saying I would be dead by 40.”
The couple have three children — 31-year-old Aimee, 29-year-old Kelly and 28-year-old Jack — and their relationship has been volatile over the years: Ozzy almost strangled his wife after a five-day drinking binge in 1989.
Ozzy is currently in the midst of a year-long farewell tour with SABBATH and is expected to announce some other news on Thursday, May 12 at a special event in Hollywood. It is not clear whether the announcement of his split with Sharon will affect future plans or her status as his manager.
Source: Blabbermouth
