Ozzy Osbourne has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, the rock singer has revealed.
In a joint interview with his wife Sharon Osbourne on Good Morning America on Tuesday, the 71-year-old said he’d been diagnosed with “a mild form” of the disease, which progressively affects the brain over a prolonged period.
Sharon said: “It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does effect the nerves in your body. It’s like you’ll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day.”
During the interview, Ozzy revealed he’d had a “terribly challenging” year with regards to his health, after he was left in need of surgery following a fall at his home.“It’s been terribly challenging for us all,” he explained. “I did my last show New Year’s Eve at The Forum. Then I had a bad fall. I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves.”
Revealing how the condition affects him, Ozzy said: “I got a numbness down [my] arm [from] the surgery, my legs keep going cold.
“I don’t know if that’s the Parkinson’s or what, you know, but that’s... see, that’s the problem. Because they cut nerves when they did the surgery. I’d never heard of nerve pain, and it’s a weird feeling.”
Explaining why now was the right time to speak out about his diagnosis, the former Black Sabbath frontman explained: “I’m no good with secrets. I cannot walk around with it anymore… it’s like I’m running out of excuses, you know?”Sharon went on to say that they are now seeking treatments abroad, claiming: “We’ve kind of reached a point here in [America] where we can’t go any further because we’ve got all the answers we can get here.
“So in April ― we’re going to a professional in Switzerland. And he deals with... getting your immune system at its peak.”
In February last year, Ozzy was forced to cancel shows on his world tour after developing pneumonia.
A month earlier, he’d cancelled shows in Europe after being taken to hospital with the flu and a severe upper-respiratory infection.Ozzy said at the time: “It just seems that since October everything I touch has turned to shit.
“First the staph infection in my thumb and now coming down with the flu and bronchitis.
“I want to apologise to all of my fans who have been so loyal over the years, my band, my crew and to Judas Priest for letting you all down.”
At the end of his Good Morning America interview, Ozzy revealed he hopes to eventually be well enough to tour again, saying: “I just can’t wait to get well enough to go on the road, that is what is killing me.“I need it, that is my drug today. I’ve done all of the other crap, left that by the wayside, survived that, and I ain’t done yet and I ain’t going to go anywhere yet.”READ MORE: Sharon Osbourne Has Done A Massive Backtrack On That Story Of Firing An Assistant Sharon Osbourne Blasts
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