Black Sabbath’s upcoming farewell concert, “Back to the Beginning,” was supposed to be a celebratory end to the band’s legendary career. With its original lineup and a sold-out venue, the event is set to be a milestone for heavy metal fans worldwide. But now, controversy has erupted just before the curtain rises—a band has been removed from the lineup following a fiery clash involving none other than Sharon Osbourne.
Sharon, who serves as both wife and longtime manager of Ozzy Osbourne, confirmed in an interview with Metal Hammer that she was directly responsible for the removal.
“I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath,” Sharon said. “It was probably the worst I’ve felt in years. I don’t care what this person says about me—he doesn’t know me. He’s going around making up absolute bulls**t because I threw his band off the bill.”
The name of the band remains undisclosed, sparking a wave of fan speculation online. Sharon, however, quickly shut down one of the most popular theories—that the band in question was Iron Maiden.
“Oh god, no,” she clarified. “Ozzy only has respect for the guys in Maiden.”
The long-standing feud between Sharon and Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson dates back to Ozzfest 2005, when tensions escalated to the point that Dickinson’s performance was sabotaged. Despite this rocky history, Sharon insists that Iron Maiden had nothing to do with the latest controversy.
“I love Iron Maiden. It’s just the singer, because he was so horribly disrespectful,” she explained. “He didn’t even know what Bruce was doing [at Ozzfest]. I never told him until the night of the last show. He just looked at me and said, ‘You’re terrible.’”
Another rumor pointed to Tool as the band removed, especially after the group was missing from the paid livestream lineup. However, that theory was debunked as a simple promotional oversight, later corrected by organizers.
Despite the mystery, one thing is clear: Sharon Osbourne isn’t afraid to shake things up to protect the legacy of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. With millions waiting to experience the final farewell, Sharon’s bold move ensures that the band’s history ends on their own terms—even if it means leaving scorched earth in its wake.
