BBC Radio 1 Host Gets Emotional on Air While Announcing Ozzy Osbourne’s Death

BBC Radio 1 host Jack Saunders was visibly emotional as he announced the death of Ozzy Osbourne live on air on Tuesday evening.

The presenter, 32, shared the heartbreaking news with listeners on his show shortly after a statement was released by the family confirming that the Black Sabbath star had passed away aged 76.

In the statement, his family said: ‘It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.

‘He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.’

Jack later paid an touching tribute to Ozzy as he shared the news with listeners, describing the singer as a ‘legend’ before playing one of the band’s songs on his radio show.

He said: ‘Bringing the sad news that Ozzy Osbourne has sadly passed away at the age of 76. 

‘The Prince of Darkness himself, the frontman of one of the most important heavy metal bands, Black Sabbath, whose second album, Paranoid, remains without doubt the most influential metal album of all time.

‘If you’ve had a chance to listen to that album, you’ll know when I say this, but if not, the riffs were cut-throat and raw, and I mean there really wasn’t a consideration to be like something or play up to a certain way. 

‘There was only concern to be heard.’

He said: ‘And this track that I wanna play you from Black Sabbath tonight was the opener to the album. 

‘And it was emblematic, set the tone and completely ambitious in its time, which was 1970 by the way. 

‘Fresh off the back of the chokehold of the Beatles, this felt like something fresh and different and exciting and … Ozzy’s voice felt timelessly evil, filled with temptation and snare.’

Jack continued: ‘There was no way once you heard Ozzy do his thing that you were going anywhere but listening to Black Sabbath. 

‘Riding the rhythm and blues that had so far shaped the sound of rock and roll, Ozzy Osbourne, on this track and beyond, shaped himself as the Prince of Darkness. 

‘Rest in peace to a legend. This is War Pigs by Black Sabbath on Radio 1.’

Jack also paid further tribute with the clip shared on his Instagram.

He wrote alongside the video: ‘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.’

It comes after Ozzy revealed earlier this year that he could no longer walk amid his years-long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

However, he still managed to reunite with his bandmates Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward for their final gig earlier this month.

Ozzy was born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, and dropped out of school at the age of 15.

After serving two months in prison for burglary, he decided to pursue his love of music and by 1970 Black Sabbath had gained a huge following in the US and UK with the release of their first album.

Ozzy quit the band in 1978 and divorced his first wife Thelma Mayfair, who he had two children with, four years later, amid his ongoing substance abuse problems.

He went on to marry second wife Sharon Osbourne, who helped him transform into a successful solo artist and the couple had three children together.

Ozzy gained a whole new audience of fans with the family’s reality TV show The Osbournes in 2001.

He is survived by his wife Sharon and his five children, Jessica, Louis, Aimee, Kelly and Jack.