Ozzy Osbourne has postponed his solo European tour for a second time but insisted he is not dying or retiring despite a year of bad health.
"I am recovering. It's just taking a little bit longer than everyone thought it would," the former Black Sabbath frontman, who is 70, says in a video posted on his social-media accounts.
Osbourne has been in an out of hospital for almost a year because of a fall that required extensive surgery on his spine and neck, as well as pneumonia, flu complications and infections in his hand. The emergencies and other setbacks have prompted speculation in tabloid media that he is near death.
Message Regarding Tour Dates:
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) 9 October 2019
Europe Postponed
North America still in place pic.twitter.com/L4D1snosvs
In the video he says, “I just screwed all my vertebrae in my neck and had to have surgery... I’ve got more nuts and bolts in my neck now than in my car.” Osbourne adds that he is “bored stiff of being stuck on a f***ing bed all day” but “you’re just going to have to be a little bit more patient.
“I’m postponing the European tour because I’m not ready. I’m not retiring – I’ve still got gigs to do – but when I do come back on an American tour, I want to be 100 per cent ready to come out and knock your f***ing socks off.”
The star also revealed that a new album was on the way.
He finished the message with thanks to his fans. “I sincerely thank you for your patience, your loyalty, I love you,” he said, joking: “Now will you f*** off and let me get better.”
The European leg of Osbourne’s solo No More Tours 2 had already been rescheduled for a January 2020 start. The rescheduled North American dates, starting in May 2020, will go ahead, the tour’s promoter, Live Nation, says. – PA, Reuters
