Ozzy Osbourne has announced that he is to retire from touring and cancel the rest of his UK dates as he is too “psychically weak” to perform.
The legendary Birmingham-born rockstar was due to stop off at the AO Arena here in Manchester this summer on 7 June as part of the ‘No More Tours 2’ tour – which had been rescheduled several times since 2020 – but the former Black Sabbath frontman shared with his loyal fans this morning that he is having to cancel all upcoming shows due to deteriorating health.
The 74-year-old was notably diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease back in 2003, but didn’t announce this publicly until 2020, and also suffered a fall at his Los Angeles home in August 2019, which required him to undergo neck surgery.
Ozzy said in a statement shared to social media this morning that retiring from touring is “probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share”.
“Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way,” he added.
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In the statement, Ozzy told fans: “As you may know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine.
“My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.
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“I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required.
“Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F***S ME UP, more than you will ever know.”
Ozzy Osbourne cancels Manchester show and rest of UK tour as he’s too ‘weak’ to perform / Credit: Flickr
The musician added that he “never would have imagined” his touring days would end in this way, and that his team is “currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country”.
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Ozzy closed out his statement by thanking his family, band, crew, and longtime friends.
He also thanks his fans for their “endless dedication, loyalty, and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have”.
This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans… pic.twitter.com/aXGw3fjImo
The ‘No More Tours 2’ UK and European shows were postponed on several occasions due to Ozzy’s poor health and the COVID-19 pandemic, before they were eventually rescheduled for May and June 2023.
He was due to perform shows in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Dublin, London, and Birmingham, as well as Manchester, all of which have been cancelled.
All ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.
Featured Image – Ozzy Osbourne (via Facebook)
News
How will the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales work?
Emily Sergeant
All licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone – helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you’re buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you’ve left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that ‘it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]’ and that physical ID will ‘still remain a valid way’ for customers to prove their age.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out,” she concluded.
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
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Manchester to host G20 Summit in 2027 with more than a dozen world leaders descending on the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been confirmed as the host city for the G20 Summit next year.
It was already announced back in November last year that the G20 Summit would be coming to the UK in 2027, and plans were apparently already being discussed to host it in Manchester even before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister and Number 10 North was set up.
But now, ahead of this year’s leaders’ summit being held in Miami in December, it has been confirmed that the G20 Summit will arrive in Manchester in November 2027.
Manchester is said to have been picked to host the leaders’ summit because of its ‘cultural heritage’.
Bringing together 19 of the world’s largest economies and two major multilateral bodies – the European Union and the African union – G20 members who will be invited to attend the summit next year make up 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population as a whole.
Manchester has been confirmed to host the G20 Summit in 2027 / Credit: 10 Downing Street | Paul Kagame (Flickr)
G20 members are also some of the UK’s closest economic partners, the Government insists.
17 of the UK’s top 20 global export markets attend the summit, as do 18 of the UK’s top 20 sources of foreign direct investment.
The presidency of the G20 is currently held by the US but will pass to the UK after the leaders’ summit hosted by the president at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in December.
The 2027 summit will be held at Manchester Central, it has been confirmed, and other locations across the UK will also host other G20 events as part of the year-long presidency, but these are yet to be announced.
Emily Sergeant -
1st February 2023 
