Sharon Osbourne has dismissed reports that claim her late husband Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell concert raised $190 million as “just ridiculous.”
The concert, titled “Back to the Beginning,” took place on July 5 at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham, England. Ozzy Osbourne performed solo and with the original lineup of Black Sabbath. The event, intended as a farewell show for Ozzy, who had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease, turned out to be his final performance. Ozzy passed away 17 days later, on July 22.
In an interview with Pollstar conducted five days before Ozzy’s death, Sharon Osbourne addressed reports about the concert’s fundraising. It had been announced that proceeds from the show and its live stream would benefit Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Cure Parkinson’s.
Billboard reported that the event raised over $190 million, though it noted the final donation amounts to each charity were not yet clear. Rolling Stone similarly cited a figure of “nearly $200 million” but acknowledged that the “final numbers have not been disclosed.”
Sharon stressed to Pollstar that the financial details were still being finalized. “I’m really happy that we are talking,” she said. “One of the things that’s frightening me is all this false press about [how] we’ve made $140 million and all of this, and I’m like, ‘God, I wish we could have, for one gig.’ It’s just ridiculous, the different stories.”
She explained that it would take six weeks to determine the final amount raised, as they were still accounting for expenses and ongoing merchandise sales. “It’ll be another four weeks and it’ll be done,” she said.
Despite the financial confusion, Sharon expressed satisfaction with the concert. “It was a huge success, because it was a phenomenal event,” she said. “It was the first time, I think, that anybody’s gone into retirement and done it, where the show is streamed and it goes to charity. It was the perfect way to end a long career. I never wanted Ozzy to just disappear without some big event.”
Sharon noted the significance of holding the concert at Villa Park, home to Ozzy’s favorite soccer team, Aston Villa. “It was just perfect. It was the perfect storm,” she said.