Sharon Osbourne Refutes “Ridiculous” Reports Claiming Ozzy’s Farewell Concert Raised $190 Million For Charity

In a newly shared interview with Pollstar, Sharon Osbourne dismissed reports that the “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert for her late husband, Ozzy, and his Black Sabbath bandmates, raised $190 million for charity. She called those inflated figures “ridiculous” and misleading, while clarifying that only 275,000 people purchased the $30 livestream of the all-star event, not 5.8 million as widely claimed. The $190 million total was initially shared by the show’s music director, Tom Morello, and was subsequently picked up by multiple media outlets, sparking unrealistic expectations for the proceeds benefiting Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. Sharon explained that final charitable totals are still being calculated, with results expected soon. Despite the misinformation, she praised the event as a fitting farewell for Ozzy. “It was a huge success, because it was a phenomenal event,” she shared. “It’s the first time anybody has said goodnight like that. It’s the perfect way, when you’ve had such a long career, to end it. I never wanted Ozzy to just disappear without some big event.” (Consequence of Sound)