In the aftermath of a tragedy that sent shockwaves through the music world and beyond, those closest to the epicenter of grief often find themselves struggling to process emotions too profound for immediate expression. Sometimes, the most meaningful responses come not in the rushed statements of the moment, but in the carefully chosen words that emerge when the initial shock begins to settle. When a beloved figure’s child finally finds the strength to speak publicly about an irreplaceable loss, the world stops to listen to what comes from a heart forever changed.
Kelly’s First Public Words
Kelly Osbourne shared a heartfelt note on her Instagram stories on July 25, 2025, just days after the death of her father, Ozzy Osbourne. This is her first public comment since the tragic news broke on July 22, marking a significant moment for fans and family members who had been waiting to hear from the television personality during this incredibly difficult time.
The television personality has finally spoken out, offering an emotional message after the sudden passing of the rock icon. Her decision to remain silent for several days following the announcement reflected the deeply personal nature of her grief and the overwhelming challenge of finding words adequate to express such profound loss.
Using white letters set on a black background, the actress wrote about her grief and despair. She also shared that he was her “best friend,” ending the message with a heartbroken emoji. The simple yet powerful visual presentation of her message – stark white text against the darkness – seemed to mirror the stark reality of life without her father’s larger-than-life presence.
Kelly Osbourne’s Instagram story, featuring her first message since Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, dated July 25, 2025 | Source: Instagram/kellyosbourne
The choice of words, particularly describing Ozzy as her “best friend,” revealed the depth of their relationship beyond the typical father-daughter bond. This description painted a picture of a connection that transcended the complexities of growing up in the public eye as the child of a global rock icon.
The Weight of Public Grief
This comes just three days after the announcement that surprised the world of metal and inspired an outpouring of tributes. The three-day gap between the public announcement and Kelly’s personal statement highlights the challenge of grieving in the public eye, where family members must balance their private pain with the expectations of fans and media.
For Kelly, who has spent much of her life in the spotlight due to her family’s reality television show “Hogan Knows Best” and her own career in entertainment, the decision of when and how to address her father’s death publicly carried additional weight. Her eventual message, while brief, carried the authenticity that can only come from genuine, overwhelming emotion.
The timing of her statement also coincided with the family beginning to process the magnitude of their loss while simultaneously dealing with the logistics and emotions surrounding funeral arrangements, media attention, and the countless tributes pouring in from around the world.
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A Family United in Mourning
On Tuesday, Kelly, along with her mother Sharon Osbourne and siblings Jack, Aimee, and Louis Osbourne, shared a photo on Ozzy’s Instagram. They showed the music legend seated on a throne during his farewell concert in Birmingham, England, just weeks earlier. This collective family statement represented their first unified public response to the tragedy.
The choice of image – Ozzy on a throne from his final performance – was particularly poignant, capturing him in his element as the Prince of Darkness while also serving as a symbol of his reign over the heavy metal world. The throne imagery reinforced his status as royalty in the music industry while providing a dignified final portrait for public consumption.
In the caption, they included a statement announcing the Prince of Darkness’ passing and how stricken they were by it. They also mentioned that Ozzy had left this world “surrounded by love” and asked people to respect their family at this time. The emphasis on being “surrounded by love” provided comfort to fans while also establishing boundaries around the family’s need for privacy during their mourning process.
The request for privacy, while standard in such situations, carried particular significance for a family that had spent years sharing their lives with the public through reality television and social media. The Osbournes had to navigate the delicate balance between honoring their father’s public legacy and protecting their private grief.
Singer Ozzy Osbourne and TV personality Sharon Osbourne attend 2014 MusiCares Person Of The Year Honoring Carole King at Los Angeles Convention Center on January 24, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Sharon’s Active Engagement with Tributes
While Kelly took her time before saying anything on social media, Sharon has already spoken out, particularly about the tributes offered for her late husband. Sharon’s more immediate engagement with public responses reflected her role as both grieving widow and manager of Ozzy’s career, responsibilities that required her to maintain some level of public interaction even during personal tragedy.
Sharon’s responses to various tributes demonstrated her appreciation for the outpouring of love while also providing her with a way to process her grief through connection with others who loved Ozzy. Her brief but meaningful replies to celebrity and fan tributes showed her recognition of the impact her husband had on countless lives beyond their family circle.
Celebrity Tributes and Sharon’s Responses
Gavin Rossdale shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, posting a photo of Ozzy embracing him. In his caption, he wrote, “RIP OZZY – a great man – a true legend – i met ozzy through jack just a few times but he was so warm and kind and funny and i love that memory .sending much love to his family at this difficult time . Rest in power.”
Sharon wrote a simple yet striking response to Gavin’s post, saying, “Bless you.” The brevity of Sharon’s response spoke volumes about her emotional state while also acknowledging the kindness of Rossdale’s words. Her choice to respond at all during such a difficult time demonstrated her appreciation for the genuine affection expressed by those who knew Ozzy personally.
The connection between Gavin Rossdale and the Osbourne family through Jack illustrates the extended network of relationships that Ozzy had built throughout his career, creating bonds that extended beyond professional collaborations to genuine friendships that enriched his life and continue to provide comfort to his family.
Media Tributes and Professional Recognition
BBC Radio 1 DJ Jack Saunders also posted a video of himself at a studio, talking about Ozzy on the day of his passing. The radio presenter found out about Ozzy’s death on air and paid tribute to him on Instagram by writing:
“As I was on air tonight, the news broke that we had lost one of the greatest showman the world of metal and music has ever seen. The bands and artists that dare to fly the flag in the name of rock n roll do so because Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath did first. He was a blessing to music. Rest In Peace the Prince Of Darkness .”
This tribute from a prominent BBC Radio 1 DJ highlighted Ozzy’s continuing relevance to younger generations of music fans and industry professionals. The fact that Saunders learned of the death while on air and immediately felt compelled to pay tribute demonstrated the immediate impact of the news across the music community.
Sharon made sure to respond to Jack’s touching message, writing, “Jack thank you for your tribute to Ozzy tonight, Bless you.” Her response to the BBC tribute showed her recognition of the important role that media figures like Saunders play in preserving and celebrating Ozzy’s musical legacy for current and future audiences.
The tribute also emphasized Ozzy’s role as a pioneer who paved the way for countless other artists, acknowledging that his influence extended far beyond his own performances to shape the entire landscape of rock and metal music.
Fan Support and Global Mourning
However, celebrities aren’t the only ones mourning Ozzy’s loss. Fans have also shown their support under Sharon’s replies, demonstrating the global community of people whose lives were touched by Ozzy’s music and personality.
“@sharonosbourne the whole worlds hearts are with you Queen,” one fan wrote, using the respectful title “Queen” to acknowledge Sharon’s status within the rock community and her role as Ozzy’s partner and manager throughout his career.
“@sharonosbourne we mourn with you Sharon,” echoed another, expressing the shared grief that connected the family’s personal loss with the broader sense of loss felt by fans worldwide.
“@sharonosbourne everyone in the community is thinking of you all and reaching through our screens with massive hugs,” a third person commented, illustrating how social media can create virtual communities of support during times of tragedy.
These fan responses highlighted the unique relationship that exists between rock stars and their audiences, where the connection goes beyond simple entertainment to create genuine emotional bonds that persist across decades. The fans’ expressions of support for Sharon specifically acknowledged her role not just as Ozzy’s wife, but as a figure beloved in her own right within the rock and metal community.
Ozzy’s Final Message to His Fans
Fans were always important for Ozzy and the family, and in the wake of his passing, his final message to them from the concert in Birmingham attracted renewed attention. The significance of his final public words has taken on profound meaning, as they now serve as his ultimate farewell to the millions of people who supported him throughout his career.
“Let the madness begin!” Ozzy declared to the crowd, before offering a touching acknowledgment to those who had stood by him during years of health struggles. This opening declaration, which became his catchphrase over the decades, took on special poignancy as what would be his final rally cry to the fans who had made his career possible.
“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.” These words revealed both his vulnerability about his health struggles and his deep gratitude for the loyalty of fans who continued to support him even when he couldn’t perform regularly.
The reference to being “laid up for like six years” acknowledged the reality of his declining health while also emphasizing the magnitude of his effort to return for this final performance. His description of fans as “special” reflected the genuine affection he felt for the people who had sustained his career and provided meaning to his artistic life.
The Final Performance’s Emotional Weight
Ozzy powered through several solo tracks before reuniting with his legendary Black Sabbath bandmates, Tony Iommi, Bassist Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, for a brief but powerful set that closed with “Paranoid.” The reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup for this final performance created a sense of completeness, bringing the story full circle to where it all began.
This is the song that helped define the heavy metal genre. He reflected, “It’s the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” His acknowledgment that it was “the last song ever” demonstrated his awareness that this performance represented the end of an era, making his gratitude to fans all the more meaningful.
The choice to end with “Paranoid,” arguably Black Sabbath’s most famous song and one of the defining tracks of heavy metal, provided a fitting conclusion to a career that had fundamentally shaped an entire genre of music. The song’s enduring popularity and cultural impact made it the perfect vehicle for Ozzy’s final musical statement.
His words echoed through the stadium as fans cheered and the message, “Thank you for everything, you guys are [expletive] amazing. Birmingham Forever,” appeared on screen. This final message, displayed to the crowd in his hometown, created a lasting image of gratitude and love that would become his final public communication with the fans who had supported him throughout his journey.
The Birmingham Connection
The significance of performing his final show in Birmingham, his hometown, added layers of meaning to Ozzy’s farewell. Birmingham had been where it all began for a working-class kid named John Michael Osbourne, and returning there for his final bow represented a homecoming that honored his roots while celebrating how far he had traveled.
The “Birmingham Forever” message acknowledged the city’s role in shaping not just Ozzy’s identity, but the entire heavy metal genre that emerged from the industrial landscape of the English Midlands. Black Sabbath’s music had been influenced by the sounds and atmosphere of Birmingham’s factories and steel mills, making the city an integral part of their artistic identity.
By ending his career where it began, Ozzy created a sense of narrative completion that provided emotional satisfaction for both himself and his fans. The homecoming aspect of the final show made it more than just a concert; it became a celebration of a journey that had taken a local boy to global stardom while never forgetting where he came from.
Kelly’s Place in the Family Legacy
Kelly’s eventual statement, describing Ozzy as her “best friend,” revealed the complex dynamics of growing up as the child of a global rock icon. Her relationship with her father had been documented through years of reality television, showing both the challenges and the genuine love that characterized their bond.
The “best friend” description suggests that despite the pressures of fame, family dysfunction, and public scrutiny that had played out in the media over the years, Kelly and Ozzy had managed to maintain a close, personal relationship. This connection appeared to transcend the typical parent-child dynamic, evolving into a friendship between two adults who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.
Kelly’s decision to wait three days before making her statement may have reflected the overwhelming nature of her grief, but it also demonstrated her desire to find the right words to honor both her personal loss and her father’s public legacy. Her eventual message, while brief, carried the weight of a lifetime of shared experiences and unconditional love.
The Challenge of Grieving Publicly
For the Osbourne family, grieving Ozzy’s death involves the additional challenge of doing so in the public eye, where their every statement and action is scrutinized by media and fans. This dynamic creates pressure to provide public statements while also trying to process private emotions and handle practical matters related to their loss.
Kelly’s three-day delay in making a public statement illustrates the difficulty of balancing personal needs with public expectations. Her eventual message demonstrated that authentic grief cannot be rushed or scheduled according to media timelines, and that sometimes the most meaningful responses come after the initial shock has begun to settle.
The family’s approach to handling Ozzy’s death publicly – with a unified initial statement followed by individual responses as family members felt ready – provides a model for how public figures can maintain their humanity while acknowledging their responsibility to fans and media.
The Continuing Legacy
As the Osbourne family continues to navigate their grief, Ozzy’s legacy in music and popular culture ensures that his influence will persist long after the immediate mourning period ends. For Kelly and her siblings, this legacy represents both a source of pride and an ongoing responsibility to honor their father’s memory and contributions.
The outpouring of tributes from celebrities, media figures, and fans worldwide demonstrates the lasting impact of Ozzy’s career and personality. These expressions of love and respect provide comfort to the family while also confirming the significance of their loss to the broader world.
Kelly’s description of Ozzy as her “best friend” will likely become one of the most remembered quotes about their relationship, capturing the essence of a bond that survived the pressures of fame and the challenges of family life in the public eye. Her words provide insight into the man behind the larger-than-life persona, revealing the loving father who existed alongside the Prince of Darkness.
Moving Forward
As the family begins the process of moving forward without Ozzy, they face the challenge of preserving his memory while also building their own lives and careers. For Kelly, who has established herself as a television personality and fashion figure independent of her father’s fame, this balance will involve honoring his legacy while continuing to develop her own identity.
The support shown by fans and fellow celebrities during this difficult time provides a foundation for the family as they navigate their grief and begin to consider how best to celebrate and preserve Ozzy’s contributions to music and culture. Their statements and responses during this period will likely influence how Ozzy’s legacy is remembered and celebrated in the years to come.
Kelly’s eventual statement, while brief, serves as a testament to the enduring power of family love and the possibility of maintaining genuine relationships even under the intense pressure of public life. Her words provide a fitting tribute to both Ozzy’s role as a father and the special bond they shared throughout his remarkable life and career.
Adrian Hawthorne is a celebrated author and dedicated archivist who finds inspiration in the hidden stories of the past. Educated at Oxford, he now works at the National Archives, where preserving history fuels his evocative writing. Balancing archival precision with creative storytelling, Adrian founded the Hawthorne Institute of Literary Arts to mentor emerging writers and honor the timeless art of narrative.