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Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is a British-American television personality, music manager and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
and came to prominence while appearing on '' The Osbournes'' (2002–2005), a reality television show that aired on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, which followed her family's daily life. Osbourne later became a talent show judge on television shows, such as '' The X Factor'' (2004–2007, 2013, 2016–2017) and '' America's Got Talent'' (2007–2012). Osbourne is credited with reviving her husband's heavy metal career by founding the summer Ozzfest tour, which was held almost annually between 1996 and 2018. From 2003 to 2006, she hosted her own television talk show '' The Sharon Osbourne Show.'' In 2010, Osbourne was a contestant on NBC's ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', and became a co-host on the CBS talk show '' The Talk,'' appearing until her termination in 2021. In 2022, she joined TalkTV, hosting a prime time show also titled ''The Talk''. Osbourne has released three autobiographies and two novels. Her first autobiography, ''Extreme'', debuted at number one on the ''Sunday Times'' best-seller list and went on to become the most successful female autobiography ever. Osbourne holds both British and American citizenship and has resided in the United States with her husband since 2002.


Early life

Sharon Rachel Levy was born on 9 October 1952 in London, United Kingdom, as the daughter of Don Arden (born Harry Levy, 1926–2007), who was a music promoter and rock and roll entrepreneur, and his wife, Hope (née Shaw, 1916–1999). She has a brother, David. Her mother was of Irish descent and her father was
Ashkenazi Jewish Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
. Osbourne revealed she was surrounded by violence during her childhood and that it was a normal occurrence to see her father threatening someone, or brandishing a firearm. Osbourne's father managed
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped def ...
and fired Ozzy Osbourne from the group. Levy subsequently began dating Ozzy, in 1979, and took over his management from the Arden organisation. Levy coordinated the recruitment of a backing band ( Randy Rhoads,
Bob Daisley Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...
, and Lee Kerslake) for the recording of the '' Blizzard of Ozz'' album and helped Ozzy launch what became a successful solo career. Arden resented his daughter for dating Ozzy and managing his career. In her memoir, Osbourne relates that he had robbed her, once tried to kill her, and once told Ozzy that she had tried to seduce him, to turn Ozzy against her. She soon lost contact with her father and did not speak to him for 20 years. In an interview in 2001, she commented that her father has never seen her children and that "he never will". Osbourne had told her children that their grandfather was dead but they unknowingly saw him for the first time when Osbourne was shouting abuse at him on a street in Los Angeles. When asked who she was shouting at, she replied Tony Curtis. They were reunited in 2001 and he then had a role in their reality show, ''The Osbournes''. In August 2004, Osbourne stated her father had
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As ...
and she paid for his care in the last years of his life. Osbourne's relationship with her mother was also damaged. At the age of 17, Osbourne lost her virginity and realised two months later that she was pregnant. By her account, pressure from others, principally her mother, influenced her decision to have an abortion, which Osbourne has described as the biggest mistake in her life. While visiting her parents on a later occasion, her mother's dogs attacked her and it was some time before her mother appeared to call them off. She was pregnant at the time and subsequently lost the baby. According to a 2009 article in ''The Guardian'', Hope Arden was a cold woman who became even stranger after a serious car accident, something which Osbourne said "unhinged her". When Osbourne was informed of her mother's death, she said "Oh, what a shame" and simply put the phone down.


Career


Ozzfest

A series of high-selling albums and world tours followed through the 1980s, eventually bringing about Ozzy's popularity. In 1996, Osbourne created the Ozzfest summer touring festival. It went on to become a regular rock occasion and celebrated a 10th anniversary in 2006. By 2007, the ticket prices had reached £76 and Osbourne announced that the tickets would be free to allow more people the opportunity to attend the concert. Prior to the founding of Ozzfest, Osbourne approached Lollapalooza, another rock/pop festival, to request that Ozzy play at that year's festival, only to be rejected and told that Ozzy was "uncool" and too drugged up. It was then that she decided to launch her own festival. Controversy ensued when she pulled the plug on Iron Maiden's set three times in one performance. She also harassed the singer
Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who has been the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1993 and 1999–present. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stag ...
, and threw eggs at the band.


Sharon Osbourne Management

In light of her success managing her husband, Osbourne branched out into managing other acts by creating Sharon Osbourne Management. The new company, with Osbourne as its sole employee, managed artists such as Gary Moore,
Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a prec ...
, Lita Ford,
The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Ch ...
, and Coal Chamber. She co-managed a band called Cube, with
Cud Cud is a portion of food that returns from a ruminant's stomach to the mouth to be chewed for the second time. More precisely, it is a bolus of semi-degraded food regurgitated from the reticulorumen of a ruminant. Cud is produced during the p ...
guitarist Mike Dunphy. Cube were signed to
Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
but had limited success. She has also turned down career guidance requests from Fred Durst,
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff ...
, and Courtney Love.


Television work (2002–2007)

Osbourne gained celebrity status as one of the stars of MTV's reality show, '' The Osbournes'', which followed her family's daily life and had a national audience. As the person who negotiated with MTV to screen the show, she is often credited with bringing about her husband's emergence from heavy metal icon into mainstream celebrity. The show began airing in early 2002, and when, in July 2002, Osbourne was diagnosed with cancer, she insisted that filming should continue. The final episode of the show aired in the US on 21 March 2005. MTV's British affiliate has been airing the show since 2003. The show brought MTV its highest ratings ever in both America and Britain. The Osbournes'
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
home (made famous on the show) has since been sold and the Osbournes have taken up residence in another home in Beverly Hills. Her Beverly Hills home was later seen in '' The X Factor'' during series two. The show saw that Osbourne was responsible for the livelihood of 12 dogs and employs a dog walker named Cherie. From the mid-1990s until the end of ''The Osbournes'' in 2005, she was primarily based in Los Angeles with the rest of her family. Osbourne earned an estimated £11.5 million from ''The Osbournes''. In 2009, she was included in Yahoo!'s Top 10 TV Moms from Six Decades of Television for the time period 2002–2005. In 2003, Osbourne became the host of her own television talk show, '' The Sharon Osbourne Show'', which was syndicated to various US channels and also shown in the UK on Sky One. The show was meant to be a reflection of her personality and home life, similar to her reality show but with the inclusion of guest interviews and performances. During the episodes, she conducted some of her interviews on a giant bed. However, the ratings were never successful and critics panned her inability to perform the basic tasks required of a talk show host, such as reading cue cards and conducting interviews. The show was cancelled in early 2004 after one season. In 2006, UK TV network ITV commissioned a new chat show, initially to be called ''Mrs Osbourne Presents'', but eventually just named ''The Sharon Osbourne Show''. Osbourne signed a deal with ITV for a reputed £2 million. The show began on Tuesday 29 August 2006, and was scheduled to run for six weeks in the 5 pm weekday timeslot. The premiere episode proved a close competition as the show received 1.9 million viewers with 17% share – 400,000 viewers (and 3% share) ahead of ''
Richard & Judy ''Richard & Judy'' (also known as ''Richard & Judy's New Position'') is a British television chat show presented by the married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The show originally aired on Channel 4 from 26 November 2001 to 22 Augus ...
'' on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
. Her second show attracted 2.1 million viewers. However, ratings appeared to decrease after Channel 4 moved its game show ''
Deal Or No Deal ''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch '' Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this format is the final round (a.k ...
'', hosted by Noel Edmonds, into the timeslot, with Osbourne managing 1.2 million viewers compared to ''Deal Or No Deals 2.9m. Channel 4's '' The New Paul O'Grady Show'' returned on Monday 25 September 2006 with 2.3 million viewers compared to Osbourne's 1.6 million. Osbourne was a judge and mentor on the UK's ''The X Factor'' every year, from 2004 through to 2007. In the first series she mentored the 16–24s and chose
Roberta Howett Roberta Howett (born 26 September 1981 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish singer who finished in ninth place in the first UK series of television talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2004. ''The X Factor'': 2004 Howett successfully auditioned for the ...
, Cassie Compton and
Tabby Callaghan Tabby Callaghan (born Trevor John O'Callaghan; 22 April 1981, County Sligo, Ireland) is an Irish musician. He finished third on the first series of ''The X Factor'' in 2004. Early career Callaghan played in many collectives and groups as a t ...
to represent her in the live rounds of the show. The best placed of these was Tabby, who finished third overall. The final was contested between Simon Cowell's act Steve Brookstein and Louis Walsh's act G4, with Steve winning. Osbourne's outburst against Steve on the night of the final is widely credited with helping him to win, although according to her autobiography he was well ahead at all stages of the voting. In the second series she mentored the 25-and-overs, and selected
Andy Abraham Andrew Abraham (born 17 July 1964) is a British singer. He was the runner-up in the second UK series of TV talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2005 to Shayne Ward, and also represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. Before ...
,
Brenda Edwards Brenda Claudina Susan Edwards (' Artman; born 2 March 1969) is an English singer, actress, television personality and presenter. In 2005, she finished in fourth place in the second series of ''The X Factor''. As of 2019, she is a weekly paneli ...
, Chico Slimani and
Maria Lawson Maria Lawson (born 24 May 1979) is an English singer. She recorded several singles with Ti.Pi.Cal. Lawson finished in eighth place in the second UK series of television talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2005. She released her debut self-titled ...
to contest the final rounds. Andy Abraham finished in second place to Louis Walsh's act
Shayne Ward Shayne Thomas Ward (born 16 October 1984) is an English actor and singer. He rose to fame as the winner of the second series of ''The X Factor''. His debut single, "That's My Goal", was released in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2005 an ...
. During this series, the judges were again required to bring the selected candidates to their homes. Osbourne chose her Beverly Hills home as a suitable location, which saw Osbourne inviting her neighbours and husband Ozzy Osbourne to attend live performances by the candidates. During Chico's performance, he jumped into her functioning fountain with a live microphone, and proceeded to splash water. Osbourne also appeared in the spin-off show '' The X Factor: Battle of the Stars''. She was not required to choose her celebrity singing contestants but was selected to manage the 16–24s which were made up of Nikki Sanderson, Matt Stevens and Michelle Marsh. In the third series of ''The X Factor'' in 2006, she was mentoring the 25-and-overs, and selected
Ben Mills Benjamin Collett Mills is a British singer who finished in third place on the third series of ''The X Factor'' in 2006. After the show, Mills signed a five-album record deal with SonyBMG. His debut album, '' Picture of You'', was released on ...
, Dionne Mitchell, Robert Allen and
Kerry McGregor Kerry McGregor (30 October 1974 – 4 January 2012) was a Scottish singer-songwriter and actress from West Lothian. McGregor appeared on the third UK series of ''The X Factor'', where she was mentored by Sharon Osbourne. McGregor died on 4 Jan ...
. Kerry and Dionne were voted out in a double elimination on 28 October, Robert was voted out on 18 November and Ben was voted out on 9 December, sending Osbourne out of the competition. During the filming of the third series, Osbourne lived at the Dorchester Hotel in central London. Osbourne was criticised for her outbursts on the show, where before a live show in series three she reportedly spoke out against '' Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'' presenter Chris Tarrant, who was in the show's audience prior to filming. Tarrant had made a joke about her husband Ozzy to which Osbourne took offence, but most of her outburst focused on criticising Tarrant's recent infidelity to his wife
Ingrid Ingrid may refer to: * Ingrid (given name) * Ingrid (record label), and artist collective * Ingrid Burley, rapper known mononymously as Ingrid * Tropical Storm Ingrid, various cyclones * 1026 Ingrid, an asteroid * InGrid, the grid computing p ...
from whom he was in the process of separating. It was rumoured that Cowell, fellow judge and creator of the show, was displeased with her performance in series three, and was thinking of replacing her and Walsh for the next series. However, it was confirmed that Osbourne had been contracted to return for the fourth series of the show. She then appeared in the fourth series along with judges Cowell, Walsh and new judge,
Dannii Minogue Danielle Jane Minogue () is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. She initially gained recognition for her appearances on the television show '' Young Talent Time'' (1982–1988) and for her role as Emma Jackson on t ...
, and mentored the Girls category during the series. During the first live show, aired on 20 October 2007, Osbourne walked out on the panel after learning of two of her own acts, Kimberley Southwick and Alisha Bennett, being in the bottom two. However, on ''
The Paul O'Grady Show ''The Paul O'Grady Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Paul O'Grady, first shown on 11 October 2004. The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, a ...
'', aired on 23 October 2007, Osbourne confirmed she would return on the next episode and stated that it is part of her personality to say things in the heat of the moment and not to contrive anything that she says. Two weeks into the live shows, a number of happy slapping videos of Emily Nakanda, the only other act in Osbourne's category, appeared in the media, apparently showing her beating another teenaged girl. The resulting backlash resulted in Nakanda withdrawing from the show. On 17 November, Bennett was voted out of the competition, leaving Osbourne with no acts halfway through the series.


Later work (2007–present)

Osbourne joined the judging panel on the second season of '' America's Got Talent'', along with Piers Morgan and
David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on '' The Yo ...
, replacing Brandy Norwood. Osbourne later worked on the show with Howie Mandel and Howard Stern as judges and Nick Cannon as host. The season premiered in the United States on 5 June 2007. In her first episode, Osbourne came into a conflict with Piers Morgan when she felt he judged a child contestant too harshly. She threatened to leave the show in the middle of filming, saying "I didn't sign up for this", but was talked out of it. The incident was shown on air. Osbourne has since stayed with the show for its third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons. The new season was announced in a promotional video shown during a commercial break for season seven's second live show. Osbourne initially stated that she will not return for the season, but later said that she was staying with the show "for now". Following this, she announced she was quitting after a dispute with NBC and the producers of '' Stars Earn Stripes'' involving what she believed was disability discrimination against her son Jack. On 6 June 2008, it was announced in a statement on behalf of Osbourne that she has decided to step down as an ''X Factor'' judge after four series on the show. The statement read "Sharon would like to thank the wonderful British public for their enormous support during what's been an exciting ride. She would also like to take this opportunity to thank Simon Cowell and ITV while wishing them all the best for the next series." A spokesman from ITV commented "She has been a tremendous judge and mentor on the programme, but we respect her wish to leave and wish her the very best." Osbourne was replaced by Cheryl Cole. During an interview on '' Piers Morgan's Life Stories'', broadcast on 22 February 2009, Osbourne admitted that the reason for her departure from ''The X Factor'' was her fractured relationship with Minogue. She stated "I didn't enjoy working with her at all and didn't fancy the prospect of spending six months sitting next to her." Osbourne hosted the second season of '' Rock of Love: Charm School'' with co-hosts Riki Rachtman and Daniella Clarke on VH1. Osbourne had a physical altercation on 13 December 2008 with contestant
Megan Hauserman Megan Hauserman (born November 5, 1981) is an American model and reality television personality, best known for her repeated appearances on VH1 including second season of ''Rock of Love with Bret Michaels'', the first season of ''I Love Money'' ...
on the reunion special for the show after Hauserman made derogatory statements about Osbourne's husband, Ozzy. Hauserman reportedly filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department and has since filed a lawsuit against Osbourne, claiming battery, negligence and infliction of emotional distress. In 2011, Osbourne reached a settlement with Hauserman. In July 2008, Fox announced that the Osbourne family would be hosting a new variety show titled '' Osbournes: Reloaded'' (working title was ''Osbournes: Loud and Dangerous''). The show started filming at CBS Studios in Hollywood in December 2008 before a live audience. The show premiered in March 2009. Fremantle Media North America is producing the show. The show was cancelled after its premiere episode. In March 2010, Osbourne appeared on NBC's ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', coming in third place. From its inception on 18 October 2010 until her departure in 2021, Osbourne co-hosted the CBS talk show '' The Talk''. This decision came after CBS cancelled the soap opera '' As the World Turns''. The show is similar to '' The View'' and seeks to address motherhood and other contemporary issues. Osbourne was the last original co-host following the departure of fellow co-host and series creator
Sara Gilbert Sara Gilbert (born Sara Rebecca Abeles; January 29, 1975) is an American actress best known for her role as Darlene Conner on the ABC sitcom ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and its ...
. In September 2010, Osbourne made a return to ''The X Factor'' at the Judges' Houses round of
series 7 Series 7 may refer to: *The seventh season of any of many shows or series; see and *Series 7 exam, officially the General Securities Representative Exam, the most comprehensive financial securities exam offered by the FINRA *'' Series 7: The Conte ...
where she assisted Walsh at
Adare Manor Adare Manor is a manor house located on the banks of the River Maigue in the village of Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, the former seat of the Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl. The present house was built in the early 19th century, though re ...
, County Limerick, Ireland to pick the final 3 contestants of the Over 28s category, Then in September 2012, she joined Walsh again this time in Las Vegas, for the 9th series Judges' Houses segment of the competition, to help him choose his final 3 groups. Osbourne has expressed interest in reprising her role on the judging panel, notably in September 2012, when she said that she would 'love' to return for the show's tenth series. Media outlets reported in December 2012 that ''X Factor'' producers had approached Osbourne for a return in 2013, reportedly to replace Tulisa. In April 2013, the show's creative director
Brian Friedman Brian L. Friedman (born May 28, 1977) is an American dancer and choreographer. Friedman has created the choreography for many popular music artists – such as Britney Spears, Cher, Beyoncé Knowles, and Mariah Carey – as well as for musi ...
said that he was "confident" of Sharon Osbourne's return, following her departure from ''America's Got Talent'' and replacement by Heidi Klum. It was later announced by ITV that Osbourne would indeed be returning for the tenth series of the show, replacing Tulisa. She returned to the judging panel alongside Gary Barlow,
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
, and original panellist Walsh. During the live shows, she mentored the Over 25s category which included Lorna Simpson, Shelley Smith and Sam Bailey. Bailey was eventually announced as the winner of the show on 15 December, marking Osbourne's first victory as a mentor in the show's ten-year history. Osbourne did not return for the eleventh series of ''The X Factor UK'' and was replaced by
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. Born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, she rose to fame in late 2002 upon winning a place in Girls Aloud, a girl group created through ITV's '' Popstars ...
. In 2014 and 2017, Osbourne appeared as a guest panellist on ITV's daytime programme ''
Loose Women ''Loose Women'' (previously known as ''Live Talk'' from 2000 to 2001) is a British talk show that broadcasts on ITV1 weekdays from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The show focuses on a panel of four female presenters who interview celebrities, talk about ...
''. On 1 June 2016, it was announced that once again, Osbourne would return to ''The X Factor'' for the show's thirteenth series to replace
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. Born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, she rose to fame in late 2002 upon winning a place in Girls Aloud, a girl group created through ITV's '' Popstars ...
. She judged alongside Cowell, Walsh (who replaced
Nick Grimshaw Nicholas Peter Andrew Grimshaw (born 14 August 1984), also known as Grimmy, is an English television and former radio presenter, podcaster and author. He became known for having hosted a variety of shows on BBC Radio 1. He is also known as a t ...
) and Scherzinger (who replaced Rita Ora). She once again mentored the Over 25s category, choosing Saara Aalto, Relley C and Honey G as her final three contestants. Aalto went on to become the series' runner-up. Although initially casting doubt on returning for another series due to her commitments with ''The Talk'', Osbourne returned to ''The X Factor'' for the fourteenth series. This time she again mentored the Girls category; her last act Grace Davies finished as the runner-up. Osbourne was initially confirmed to return for the fifteenth series as the fifth judge during the live shows portion of the competition but later declined the offer to return, feeling she wasn't needed on the panel and was replaced by Ayda Field. In 2020, she portrayed herself in season 5, episode 2 of '' Lucifer''. In March 2022, Osbourne joined TalkTV hosting a new weekly prime time show named "The Talk".


Writing

Sharon Osbourne's first autobiography, ''Extreme'' (co-authored by Penelope Dening), was published in October 2005 and tells of her difficult childhood growing up with her father, Don Arden, and also documents the highs and lows of her marriage to husband Ozzy Osbourne, shedding light on areas of her life previously not commented on. Domestic violence, drug abuse, alcoholism, affairs, bribery, colon cancer, robberies, a plane crash, therapy, and cosmetic surgery are also documented in the autobiography. Published by Time WarnerBooks, it went to Number 1 on the ''Sunday Times'' Bestseller List (UK) where it remained for 15 weeks and sold over 621,000 copies in hardback, becoming the biggest-selling autobiography since British records began, beating the previous record set by David Beckham's autobiography by 100,000 copies. In March 2006 it won Biography of the Year at the British Book Awards. The autobiography has proceeded to sell in excess of two million copies which has become the most successful female autobiography ever. Osbourne later released another autobiography named ''Survivor'', the title coming from surviving cancer. It was released in 2007. In August 2013, Osbourne announced on Twitter that her third autobiography named ''Unbreakable'', would be released on 10 October 2013.


In the media

In January 2003, Osbourne and the rest of her family hosted the 30th Annual American Music Awards. The night was marked with constant "bleeping" due to some of the lewd and raunchy remarks made by both Osbourne and Ozzy. Additionally, the night was met with some controversy, as critics panned their hosting and presenter Patricia Heaton walked out midway in disgust. In January 2005, she was contracted to feature in a television advertising campaign for UK supermarket chain, Asda and later in 2007, Osbourne became the new face of ''Galabingo'' when she was featured in television advertisements promoting the gambling website. She has co-hosted one of the '' Royal Variety Performances'' with
Jonathan Ross Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' during the 2000s, hosted his own radio show on ...
. Osbourne appeared in ''
Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...
'', '' It's a Boy Girl Thing''. On Friday 15 June 2007, Osbourne guest hosted ''
The Friday Night Project ''The Sunday Night Project'' is a British comedy-variety show by Princess Productions that first aired on Channel 4 in February 2005 under the title ''The Friday Night Project''. Originally broadcast on Friday nights, the show moved to Sunday n ...
'' with
Justin Lee Collins Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is an actor and former radio and television presenter from Bristol, England. Collins began his career as a stand up comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens. He then presented a number of TV s ...
and Alan Carr. Osbourne also made a cameo appearance on 23 June 2007 in an episode of the science fiction series '' Doctor Who''. The episode " The Sound of Drums" saw her appearing in a spoof party political broadcast, which featured testimonials from British celebrities such as Osbourne and the band McFly showing their support for
Mr Saxon The Master, is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its associated spin-off works. He is a renegade alien Time Lord and the childhood friend and later archenemy of the title character, the ...
to become Prime Minister. On 20 February 2008, Sharon Osbourne co-hosted the 28th edition of the BRIT Awards at Earls Court in London, along with her husband and daughter Kelly. During the awards Osbourne caused controversy and sparked complaints by calling Vic Reeves, who was presenting one of the awards, a "piss head" and a "bastard" after he appeared to be drunk, although he claimed that he was having trouble reading the autocue. On 22 August 2008, Osbourne took part in the 2008 MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival in Scotland. In 2009 she co-hosted
WWE Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show f ...
with her husband Ozzy. On 1 April 2010, Sharon Osbourne (along with Kelly Osbourne) joined Cyndi Lauper in the launch of her Give a Damn campaign to bring a wider awareness of discrimination of the
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...
community as part of her
True Colors Fund True Colors United (formerly True Colors Fund) is an American nonprofit organization addressing the issue of youth homelessness in the United States. Founded in 2008 by Cyndi Lauper, the organization focuses on the unique experiences of lesbian, ...
. The organisation campaigns to urge straight people to stand up with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community and stop discrimination. Other names included in the campaign are Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Mraz,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
, Judith Light, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Kardashian & Clay Aiken. Anna Paquin is also part of the campaign and came out as bisexual. This news clogged the Give A Damn website. Osbourne has a recurring voice role as Mama Hook in the animated television series '' Jake and the Never Land Pirates'', which was broadcast in 2012. In 2016, Osbourne appeared in two videos for PETA, explaining why she gave up wearing fur and encouraging others to do the same.


Public image

On the ''Sunday Times Rich List 2006'', Osbourne was listed as the 44th richest woman in Britain and the 60th richest woman on the 2007 list. In the overall British list in 2006, Osbourne and her husband appeared together as the 554th richest people with a combined wealth of £100 million. As of 2008, the couple was ranked as the 724th richest people in Britain with an estimated joint wealth of £110 million. Osbourne has sent her son's or daughter's feces in Tiffany boxes on more than one occasion to people she felt had unreasonably criticised her or her family. When a journalist criticised her teenage children, Osbourne sent a box of excrement with a note saying, "I heard you've got an eating disorder. Eat this." The popular British comedy '' Dead Ringers'', features and spoofs Osbourne (played by Jan Ravens) quite prominently alongside her husband (played by
Jon Culshaw Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968) is an English actor, comedian and impressionist. He is best known for his work on the radio comedy '' Dead Ringers'' since 2000. Culshaw has voiced a number of characters for ITV shows including ''2D ...
). Also, she was spoofed by impressionist Ronni Ancona on ''
Alistair McGowan's Big Impression ''The Big Impression'', known as ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression'' for the first three series, is a British comedy sketch show. It features Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona impersonating personalities from entertainment and sport. Four series ...
'' and was also featured in comedy ''
2DTV ''2DTV'' is a British satirical animated television series which was co-created and produced by Giles Pilbrow for ITV. It premiered on ITV1 on 14 October 2001 and was nominated for the Rose d'Or Award in both 2002 and 2003. The programme was con ...
''. On ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', Amy Poehler played her on " Celebrity Jeopardy!" skit on 14 May 2005. Sharon Osbourne appeared in season nine of '' Celebrity Apprentice''. On 16 May 2010, she was fired during the double elimination round. Impressionist
Francine Lewis Francine Lewis (born 7 November 1975) is an English actress, model, television presenter and impressionist, best known for participating in the ITV talent show series ''Britain's Got Talent'' in 2013. Biography Television She has been on sev ...
performed an impression of her in the seventh series of '' Britain's Got Talent''.


Controversies


Iron Maiden

At Iron Maiden's last Ozzfest performance, on 20 August 2005 at the
Hyundai Pavilion The Glen Helen Amphitheater (originally Blockbuster Pavilion and formerly Hyundai Pavilion and San Manuel Amphitheater) is a 65,000-capacity amphitheater located in the hills of Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernardino, California. It is the l ...
at Glen Helen in San Bernardino, California, several negative events took place, allegedly the fault of Sharon Osbourne. Osbourne's actions were reportedly in retaliation to lead singer
Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who has been the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1993 and 1999–present. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stag ...
slighting reality TV, with claims that this was an attack on Ozzy Osbourne himself. During the first Iron Maiden song, several members of the front row of the crowd (reportedly a combination of Osbourne's entourage and a few members from other bands persuaded by Osbourne or her entourage) were reported to have bombarded the band with eggs, bottle caps, and ice. Some reports also say that Sharon's daughter, Kelly, was throwing objects at the band. During three of Iron Maiden's songs, the PA system was switched off, cutting power to Dickinson's microphone and the band's instruments. In audio captured during the concert, it is reported that Dickinson can be heard accusing the festival's organisers of deliberately cutting off the band's power. Also unknown to Iron Maiden, played secretly through the PA at the very beginning and end of their set was a tape with the chant "Ozzy – Ozzy – Ozzy". On Iron Maiden's departure, Sharon made a few statements on stage in front of the 40,000 people in attendance. She told the audience that while she "absolutely loved Iron Maiden," she thought lead singer Bruce Dickinson was a "prick" and had "disrespected Ozzfest since they began their stint with the tour." Her words were met with booing, and soon afterwards she walked off the stage. Iron Maiden's manager, Rod Smallwood, issued a statement shortly after the debacle condemning the attack on the band as "vile, dangerous, criminal and cowardly" as well as disrespectful to fans who had paid to see the band perform "a full unhindered performance.". Dickinson later denied making a personal attack on Ozzy Osbourne; "Did I have a go at Ozzy and Black Sabbath? No. Why would I? But I do find ''The Osbournes'' TV series loathsome, and the whole cult of reality TV celebrities disgusting."


The Smashing Pumpkins

In 2000, Osbourne resigned from managing The Smashing Pumpkins by releasing a memo which said, "It was with great pride and enthusiasm that I took on management of the Pumpkins back in October, but unfortunately I must resign today due to medical reasons ... he Smashing Pumpkins frontman
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band th ...
was making me sick!!!" In an October 2008 interview, Osbourne revealed that she and Corgan had recently made up: "I saw him at the Scream Awards. We hadn't seen each other since that whole thing in Germany. The first time we ran into each other and we hugged and kissed and laughed."


''The Talk''

In July 2011, Osbourne and some of her fellow '' The Talk'' panellists were criticised for their conduct when discussing the story of Catherine Kieu. Osbourne described Kieu's cutting off of her husband's penis and putting it in a
garbage disposal A garbage disposal unit (also known as a waste disposal unit, garbage disposer, garburator etc.) is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The disposal unit shreds food ...
as "quite fabulous", Osbourne also laughed about the incident with her fellow panellists and members of the audience. Osbourne's cohost Sara Gilbert offered the counterpoint "Not to be a total buzz kill, but it is a little bit sexist. If somebody cut a woman's breast off, nobody would be sitting laughing." Osbourne replied by saying "It's different". Osbourne later apologised for her behaviour, stating "she was sorry she offended people" and that she "did not condone genital mutilation". Osbourne's co-hosts on ''The Talk'', Leah Remini and
Holly Robinson Peete Holly Elizabeth Robinson Peete (born September 18, 1964) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox police drama ''21 Jump Street'', Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom '' Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'', and Dr ...
were released from their contracts in 2011. Osbourne spoke of their dismissals in December 2011 on '' The Howard Stern Show'', stating: "Some people don't really know who they are, and you have to know who you are when you're in something like this. You can't pretend to be something you're not. You have to know your brand. You can't be all things to everyone." Remini later protested her dismissal and levelled accusations aimed at Osbourne through a series of tweets. On 10 March 2021, whilst speaking on ''The Talk'', Osbourne defended Piers Morgan's negative comments towards
Meghan Markle Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family and former actress. She is the wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III. Meghan was ...
, resulting in a heated exchange with co-host Sheryl Underwood, Osbourne's behaviour towards Underwood during the argument was criticised as harsh and aggressive. In the same month, a 2018 clip from ''The Talk'' resurfaced in which Osbourne was discussing the Duchess of Sussex's skin colour. Osbourne said that Markle "ain't Black" and that "she doesn't look Black". In response, ''The Talk'' went on hiatus while CBS conducted a review on Osbourne. In a statement made 26 March 2021, CBS concluded that Osbourne's "behavior toward her co-hosts during the March 10 episode did not align with BSvalues for a respectful workplace". Ultimately, Osbourne decided to depart from the program. In the midst of her scandal and termination from ''The Talk'', both Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini, Osbourne's former cohosts, took to social media to reproach Osbourne over her conduct in relation to her removal from the show, pointing out that they had been treated similarly by her, citing additional acts of discriminatory behaviours from her towards additional cast members. Osbourne responded with threats of defamation lawsuits against both Peete and Remini, but ultimately did nothing.


Fired assistant revelation

In 2019, Osbourne appeared on the British panel show '' Would I Lie to You?'' in which guests make statements about themselves and fellow panellists guess whether or not the statements are true. She claimed that during a house fire she made her assistant go back into the house to save pieces of art. She also claimed that she ripped an oxygen mask off the assistant and gave it to her dog. She then proceeded to fire him when he did not find the situation funny, believing he might have lung damage from smoke inhalation, saying "he showed absolutely no sense of humour" during the fire. After the usual deliberations by fellow panellists, she confirmed the incident to be true. The clip of Osbourne's story on the show that was uploaded by the official BBC YouTube Channel was met with an overwhelmingly negative reception. There was also a considerable backlash from Twitter users. Following the backlash, Osbourne backtracked on her claims on '' The Talk'' in January 2020. She said: "I told a true story about a fire I had in my house. He went in, he got the paintings out. And then, just to be precocious, I said at the end of this little thing I was doing, 'Oh, and then I fired him.' It was a joke because I was on a comedy show. I fired him about 15 years later." Her response was met with scepticism.


Personal life

Sharon Osbourne (then Sharon Levy) met her future husband
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped def ...
vocalist
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
, at the age of 18, while working for her father, Don Arden, who was managing Black Sabbath at the time. When Ozzy was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979, Sharon started to date him and took over his management as a solo artist. The two were married in Maui, Hawaii, on 4 July 1982. Together, Sharon and Ozzy have three children: Aimee,
Kelly Kelly may refer to: Art and entertainment * Kelly (Kelly Price album) * Kelly (Andrea Faustini album) * ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap * "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland * ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...
and Jack. She also has two stepchildren, Louis and Jessica, from her husband’s previous marriage to retired schoolteacher Thelma Riley. For years, the Osbourne marriage was plagued by alcohol, drug use, and violence, with Osbourne having even been arrested for driving while intoxicated. The couple used to physically fight regularly and, according to Osbourne, they would "beat the shit out of each other." She has described herself as "a beaten woman" when she was at the hands of husband Ozzy where he once knocked out her front teeth. She once retaliated by throwing a full bottle of scotch at his head. The most notorious incident arose in August 1989, when Ozzy was arrested for attempted murder after he had returned from the Moscow Music Peace Festival, and tried to strangle his wife in a haze of alcohol and drugs. After the incident, Ozzy spent six months in rehabilitation as a result of his actions, after which time, Sharon Osbourne said she regained her strength in their relationship and did not press charges. In July 2002, after colon cancer claimed the life of Reagan Erin Marcato, the mother of then-18-year-old son
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...
who was a friend of Osbourne’s daughter Kelly, Osbourne told the BBC that she had adopted Robert; however, when he was later sent to live with his biological father following a nervous breakdown, Osbourne denied having legally adopted him.


Health

In 1999, Osbourne lost after lap-band surgery (adjustable gastric band). Osbourne commented that being large was an essential part of her persona when she worked for her father and that being larger, she made a more dramatic entrance. On 26 October 2006, she went on '' The Howard Stern Show'' and revealed that she gained 15 pounds in the last year and would be having her plastic band removed. In July 2002, Osbourne had surgery for cancer. She announced it was
colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowe ...
and had spread to her lymph nodes and was more serious than originally thought. She survived the disease against a 33% survival prognosis. Despite battling cancer, she insisted that the MTV cameras document her illness during the filming of the second season of ''The Osbournes''. When Osbourne's hair fell out during her subsequent treatment, her wigs were custom made by
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
's wigmaker. Ozzy Osbourne admitted that he "fell apart" during her treatment and recovery, and it was revealed that her son, Jack Osbourne, tried to commit suicide because of his depression stemming from his mother's condition. In August 2004, she founded the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program at
Cedars Sinai Hospital Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over 2, ...
. In addition, she was the honoured guest at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's 2003 Fall Gala, where she spoke of her struggle against cancer. Osbourne has lent her support to design limited edition T-shirts or vests for the 'Little Tee Campaign' for Breast Cancer Care which donates money for breast cancer research. Osbourne has freely admitted to having extensive
cosmetic surgery Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes cranio ...
. As well as documenting this in her autobiography, she appeared on ''
Dr. Phil Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950), better known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author best known for hosting the talk show '' Dr. Phil''. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, though he ceased rene ...
'' on 14 December 2006, and commented on everything that had been surgically changed on her body to improve her appearance. She stated that she had had a full rhytidectomy, abdominoplasty, mastopexy, as well as many other procedures, but commented that she would not have any surgery performed on her eyes or lips. She has admitted to spending £300,000 on plastic surgery. In early November 2012, Osbourne revealed she had undergone a double mastectomy after learning she had a gene that increases the risk of developing breast cancer.


Household incidents

In 2004, Osbourne's home in Jordans, Buckinghamshire, was burgled by a man who stole gems worth £2 million. The burglar managed to get away with the gems despite being put in a headlock by Ozzy. Items taken during the burglary included wedding rings, an engagement ring, pearl and diamond necklaces, a large 52 carat (10g)
sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sa ...
ring and two pairs of diamond earrings. After the incident, Osbourne appeared on '' Crimewatch'' and offered a reward of £100,000 for the return of her valuable jewellery. In March 2005, there was an incident in the Osbournes' mansion in Jordans, Buckinghamshire. Ozzy and Sharon were forced to flee their mansion when a blaze broke out as they slept. They were not injured but had to be treated for smoke inhalation. In 2006, another fire broke out at the Osbourne's mansion; however, none of the family was at home.


Filmography


Television


Film


Awards and recognition

* In 2002, Sharon Osbourne and husband Ozzy were invited to the White House Correspondents' Association dinner by
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is ...
correspondent Greta Van Susteren for that year's event. * Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne were honoured for their contribution to the music industry at a ceremony in London when the couple won a
Silver Clef Award The O2 Silver Clef Awards is an annual UK music awards lunch which has been running since 1976. History The Silver Clef fundraising committee was founded in 1976 by musicians and managers from across the British music industry, who wanted to hono ...
. * Osbourne was voted "the most amazing woman of 2003", according to a poll published by Handbag.com, a website for women, taking almost a third of the votes cast. More than 7,000 votes were cast in a range of categories. * During Osbourne's time battling cancer, she attended an award ceremony to collect a gong for the success of her family's television show ''The Osbournes''. She attended the
Creative Arts Emmy Award The Creative Arts Emmys are a class of Emmy Awards presented in recognition of technical and other similar achievements in American television programming. They are commonly awarded to behind-the-scenes personnel such as production designers, set ...
s in Los Angeles with her daughter Kelly Osbourne, to receive the best reality television show award. * In late 2004, Osbourne attended the Woman of the Year awards in London to collect an award that she had previously won at the 2002 event, but was unable to accept due to illness. * Osbourne was voted Freemans Celebrity mother of the Year in 2006, fending off competition from
Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, Kate Moss and the Duchess of Cornwall. * In 2006, Osbourne's autobiography won Biography of the year at the British Book Awards. * There is a wax figure of Osbourne at Madame Tussauds. * She is an honorary board member of the
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is a charitable organization dedicated to multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. The MMRF runs as if it were a for-profit business, expecting high returns from the money the organization raise ...
.


Bibliography

* ''Extreme'' (Sphere, 2006) * ''Survivor'' (Sphere, 2008) *''Revenge'' (Sphere, 2010) * ''Unbreakable'' (Sphere, 2014)


References


External links

*
Sharon Osbourne biography
at mtv.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Osbourne, Sharon 1952 births Living people English talent agents English television talk show hosts English voice actresses English music managers English women in business English expatriates in the United States English women novelists English autobiographers British Book Award winners People from Brixton People from Buckinghamshire People from Hidden Hills, California LGBT rights activists from England Television personalities from London Sharon Ozzy Osbourne Participants in American reality television series The Apprentice (franchise) contestants English Jews Judges in American reality television series