Ozzy Osbourne's death at the age of 76 on 22 July has prompted a renewed focus on comments made by his wife, Sharon Osbourne, about assisted suicide. Comments that once sparked headlines and controversy.
As the family and fans mourn the legendary Black Sabbath frontman, a detail from the couple's past has drawn attention: their long-standing plan to seek assisted suicide in Switzerland should either face a decline into severe illness.
The Osbournes had been vocal in the past about their end-of-life views, particularly in the context of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. The topic has now resurfaced, following Ozzy's passing and amid a broader conversation around how celebrities and their families approach issues of dignity in death.
Sharon Osbourne's Public Support for Assisted Dying
In her 2007 memoir Survivor: My Story – The Next Chapter, Sharon wrote about her and Ozzy's mutual decision to consider assisted suicide through the Swiss organisation Dignitas if either were diagnosed with a condition affecting their brain. The decision was heavily influenced by her father Don Arden's battle with Alzheimer's, which she described as 'horrific.'
Speaking to the Daily Mirror at the time, Sharon said, 'We believe 100 per cent in euthanasia so have drawn up plans to go to the assisted suicide flat in Switzerland if we ever have an illness that affects our brains. If Ozzy or I ever got Alzheimer's, that's it – we'd be off.'
The matter remained largely quiet in the public sphere until 2023, when it was brought up again on an episode of The Osbournes Podcast, featuring Sharon, Ozzy, and their children Kelly and Jack.
Family Conversation Reignites Debate
In the podcast episode, Jack directly asked his mother whether the plan to travel to Switzerland still stood. 'They were like, 'If we get terminally ill, we're going to go to Switzerland and assisted suicide ourselves.' Is that still the plan?'
Sharon replied with a laugh, 'Do you think that we're gonna suffer?' To which Jack responded, 'Well, maybe! Isn't life already suffering?' Sharon added, 'Yes, we all are, but I don't want it to actually hurt, as well. Mental suffering is enough pain without physical. So if you've got mental and physical — see ya.'
The exchange was laced with dark humour, a hallmark of the Osbournes' public persona, but the seriousness of the sentiment wasn't lost on listeners.
Kelly Osbourne Pushes Back on 'Pact' Claims
While some interpreted the conversation as evidence of a formal 'suicide pact,' daughter Kelly Osbourne took to social media to reject that claim. In a post shared on July 11, just days before her father's death, she urged people to stop spreading what she described as misinformation.
'Stop making articles or posts about how you think my parents are having a suicide pact,' she wrote, according to E! News. 'That was bulls*** my mom said to get attention one time. And my dad's not dying. Stop.'
She also addressed AI-generated videos suggesting her father was already near death. 'Yes, he has Parkinson's, and yes, his mobility is completely different than it used to be, but he's not dying. What is wrong with you?'
Ozzy's Own Words on the Matter
Ozzy himself spoke candidly about assisted suicide in 2014. In an interview with the Mirror, he said, 'If I can't live my life the way I'm living it now – and I don't mean financially – then that's it... [Switzerland].'
He continued, 'If I can't get up and go to the bathroom myself and I've got tubes up my ass and an enema in my throat, then I've said to Sharon, 'Just turn the machine off.' If I had a stroke and was paralysed, I don't want to be here.'
As tributes continue to pour in from across the music industry for Ozzy, the resurfacing of these comments regarding mortality and death reflects the openness with which the Osbournes discussed difficult topics.
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