Ozzy Osbourne: “I’ve got no fear of going to Hell – I’ve been going there and back for the past five years"

(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

Ozzy Osbourne has discussed his ongoing recovery from his recent health issues as well as he and his family's returning podcast in a new interview in the latest issue of Metal Hammer.

Osbourne, who underwent serious spinal surgery in 2022, announced his retirement from touring earlier this year, though has since suggested he is by no means totally done with live shows, despite cancelling a planned appearance at last month's epic Power Trip Festival.

Speaking to Hammer to promote the latest season of the resurrected Osbournes Podcast, the Prince Of Darkness reveals that the podcast has provided a major boost in helping him bounce back.

“You know what, it’s been pretty grim around the Osbourne house for the past few years,” he admits. “I’ve got no fear of going to Hell – I’ve been going there and back for the past five years. But when you’re sick, all you can think about is you, so when they said about doing the podcast again, it was like, ‘Sure, it’ll get me out of myself again!’”

“It’s just us!” Osbourne adds of the podcast itself. “We have a real laugh with it you know, but it seems a lot of people are listening and liking it. It’s good because family always comes first for me.”

Despite the podcast's comeback proving to be a huge success, Ozzy isn't rushing to resurrect the Osbournes' legendary reality show from the early 2000s, which was a humongous hit when it first aired on MTV.

“It all started off as a spin-off of that MTV show, Cribs,” he recalls of the show's origins. “Our episode of Cribs was the most watched on replay, so some producers approached us with the idea of doing it as a full show set in the house. It all went from there. We’d never really planned on being the next big TV family, but it grew on its own steam and went crazy. I’m not particularly planning on doing a re-run of it, but if something happens, it happens!”

Pick up the latest issue of Metal Hammer, featuring Sleep Token on the cover, here.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.