Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has given his first TV interview about the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, speaking to ITV News about the shocking news. He described the situation as "unreal, surreal" after receiving a text from Ozzy just the day before his passing. Iommi and Geezer Butler believe Ozzy "held out" to perform the final "Back To The Beginning" show in Birmingham, ensuring a proper farewell. The interview touched on the band's final performance, Ozzy's determination to play despite his health issues, and the profound impact of his loss on the band.
In the interview, Iommi shared that he received a text from Ozzy the day before his death, saying he was tired and had no energy. Despite this, Ozzy insisted on performing the final show. Iommi and Butler discussed how they believed Ozzy "held out" to do that show, to say goodbye to the fans, marking the definitive end of Black Sabbath with all original members.
Iommi also discussed the final performance, noting Ozzy's determination to play despite his health challenges, including being seated for the entire show due to his inability to walk according to NME. He recalled that after the show, Ozzy came around in a wheelchair to say goodbye and seemed happy with how it went. Iommi expressed the profound shock and grief felt by the band, describing Ozzy's passing as "unreal" and stating that there would never be another like him.