Ozzy Osbourne: why has 2023 UK tour been cancelled, health and accident explained - Ticketmaster refund details

Ozzy Osbourne has announced his retirement from touring due to his physical limitations. All remaining European and UK concert dates have been cancelled following the announcement.

Osbourne said that he is not "physically capable" of performing the tour dates. The former Black Sabbath singer underwent significant spinal surgery after reaggravating injuries sustained in a near fatal 2003 quad bike crash in a 2019 fall at his Los Angeles home.

Osbourne was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, which has caused him to experience a variety of health issues in recent years, though he didn’t make the diagnosis public until 2020.

“This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans,” he said on Instagram. “As you may all know, four years ago this month I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage.”

Here is everything you need to know.

Is Ozzy Osbourne OK?

Osbourne, whose real name is John Osbourne, was known throughout his heavy metal career as the “Prince of Darkness”. He was lead vocalist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, which he formed in 1969 alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

The rocker said that while his singing voice is "fine," his body is "still weak" as a result of three operations, stem cell treatments, physical therapy sessions, and Cybernics (HAL) Treatment. Since that time, Osbourne has performed during the closing ceremony at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and an NFL game in the US in September.

But he said: “In all good conscience I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required. Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way.”

He also thanked fans, crew, family, and the band Judas Priest for their “endless” dedication, loyalty, and support. “Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F***S ME UP, more than you will ever know,” he said.

Osbourne provided a ray of hope for his fans, saying his team is currently “coming up with” ideas on where he may be able to perform “without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”

What should I do if I had tickets?

Due to the musician’s ill health and the pandemic, the Osbourne’s ‘No More Tours 2’ live shows in the UK and Europe had been pushed back several times, before being rescheduled for 2023.

He was scheduled to give performances in Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, and Dublin in May and June of this year.

Osbourne’s message to fans ended by saying refunds will be offered to ticketholders at the point of purchase. Ticketmaster - where the majority of Osbourne’s tour tickets will have been sold - recommend getting in touch via the 'Contact Us' link at the bottom of their web page.