Sharon Osbourne Shut Down Ozzy’s “Backup Plan” for Farewell Show

Even at the end, the Prince of Darkness was worried about letting his fans down. Sharon shut Ozzy's "Back Up" plan down. In an excerpt from Ozzy's posthumous book, Last Rites (shared with The Times), “Sharon said, ‘Look, there’ll be no backup plan. No video. No prerecorded anything. Sharon said, "If you can’t sing on the night, just talk to the crowd and thank them. All you need to do is get up there and be Ozzy."

Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he wanted to record a “backup performance” video in case his health kept him from taking the stage at his Back to the Beginning farewell concert in Birmingham. After years of battling spinal and Parkinson’s-related issues, Ozzy reportedly told his wife and longtime manager Sharon, “We’d better get a video made ’cos there’ll be an empty stage.”

According to Loudwire, Sharon Osbourne flat-out refused. She told her husband that there would be no prerecorded set, no hologram, no safety net.

It’s a moment that captures the heart of their partnership: Ozzy’s anxiety about disappointing fans, and Sharon’s determination to keep things real. The singer was reportedly terrified he’d collapse before reaching the stage for what would be his final show. But Sharon’s pushback made sure the performance, his last in his hometown, remained fully authentic.

Ultimately, Ozzy made it. The Back to the Beginning concert became a massive, emotional send-off, filled with tributes from fellow musicians and family. While some speculated that Jack Osbourne’s later tribute video had been meant as that “backup,” there’s no evidence to support it. The video was produced afterward, serving as a heartfelt farewell rather than a contingency plan.

In the end, Sharon’s instincts proved right. Fans didn’t need Ozzy's "Back Up" plan: a hologram or a pre-taped set. They needed Ozzy, raw and unfiltered. And that’s exactly what they got. Middle fingers for everyone. This Prince of Darkness forever rules.