Tens of thousands gathered in Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at Black Sabbath Bridge for his funeral procession.

The ceremony officially began at 1pm on July 30th, but Birmingham has been full to the brim with fans since this morning who wanted to honour their musical hero. Osbourne not only helped invent heavy metal but also placed their hometown on the musical map, and today, fans came together to express their gratitude.

Chants of “Ozzy” broke out in the crowd before an escort of cars, containing the Osbourne family and Ozzy’s hearse, travelled down Broad Street to make its way to Black Sabbath Bridge. At the same time, fans threw roses on the cars and local brass band Bostin’ Brass thrilled the crowd with a reimagining of Osbourne’s biggest hits.

Shortly afterwards, Sharon Osbourne left the vehicle, accompanied by her children Jack, Aimee, Kelly, and Ozzy’s son, Louis, as they paid their respects to the shrine of the Black Sabbath frontman. They were also joined by their extended family.

Sharon was reduced to tears as fans again chanted her late husband’s name before raising her hand in appreciation of the crowd and returning to the vehicle.

 

Jack, who despite wearing sunglasses, also appeared visibly emotional and was by his mother’s side during the tremendously difficult occasion. The Osbourne family were also greeted by chants of “Thank you, Ozzy” and “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Oi, Oi, Oi.”

The vehicles, carrying the Osbourne clan, then departed Broad Street to the sound of a roaring ovation from the thousands that had gathered to say their goodbyes.

Although Birmingham recently said their farewell to Osbourne, as a performer, at Back to the Beginning, which took place earlier this month at Villa Park, today’s procession was another opportunity to show their appreciation to their city’s favourite son.

Last week, Osbourne’s older sister, Jean Powell, said her late brother was “blown away” by the reaction to his final concert and “couldn’t believe all the crowds were walking down our old street to watch him perform”. If he could have seen today, Osbourne would have been even more humbled to see precisely what he meant to Birmingham.

Within hours of Osbourne’s death being announced on July 22nd, Black Sabbath Bridge became a shrine to the Birmingham hero, which may become permanent. Over the last week, fans have travelled from all over the world to pay their respects to a one-off figure by leaving messages of condolence, and today was the first time the Osbourne family have seen the powerful tribute.

Speaking to Sky News, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, said of the farewell: “We are a proud city to have him here today and I am really grateful to Sharon Osbourne and his family. What a great honour for us to have him here one last time. You can see thousands and thousands of people and the love for Ozzy – well, you can feel it in the air.”

Following the funeral cortege in Birmingham, Osbourne’s hearse began to make its way to Buckinghamshire for a private ceremony, which will be attended by friends and family.

See footage from the procession below.

By noon on July 30th, the Black Sabbath Bridge had become a place unlike any other—more sacred than sorrowful, more united than ever. Tens of thousands gathered, many arriving before sunrise, clutching vinyls, handwritten letters, old concert tees, or simply holding one another. But it wasn’t the memorabilia that moved hearts—it was the unfiltered emotion.

One woman collapsed into the arms of a stranger, overcome by tears, whispering: “He was the soundtrack to my survival.” A young boy stood still beside her, hoisting a sign above his head: “I never met you, but you raised me.” He didn’t flinch when the hearse passed. He just wept.

Sharon Osbourne, cloaked in black, walked alongside her children—Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Ozzy’s eldest son Louis—with visible effort. At one point, she stumbled and caught herself, blinking away tears. A hush fell across the crowd as Steven Tyler, Ozzy’s longtime friend, stepped forward onto the bridge and—without introduction—softly began to sing “Dream On.” His voice cracked midway, and no one dared interrupt. Sharon stopped walking, turned toward the sound, and quietly mouthed the words.

Nearby, a former roadie whispered to reporters: “He used to call Birmingham the city that saved his soul. Today, we’re trying to return the favor.”

A teenager handed Sharon a folded letter. She opened it on the spot. After reading a few lines, she pressed it to her chest. Through trembling lips, she whispered, “He would’ve loved this.”

As the procession continued, fans threw roses onto the path of the hearse. Each flower felt like a memory laid to rest. And yet, even in that silence, Ozzy’s spirit thundered through the streets—because this wasn’t just a funeral.