The Osbournes: Why are we still interested in the famous family?

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and their children burst onto the scene in 2002 with their reality show.

It was one of the first – and biggest – of its kind, charting the daily lives and dramas of the heavy metal singer, his wife and their kids Kelly and Jack.

While Ozzy was already famous for being in Black Sabbath it propelled the rest of the family to fame, minus their daughter Aimee, who opted out of the series.

Now, more than 20 years after it started, the Osbournes have launched a podcast and are still huge stars whose lives we are gripped by.

So why are we still so interested?

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy’s rock star life kept us all entertained back in the day, and nothing has really changed.

The star, 74, has slowed down amid recent health struggles – he has been diagnosed with degenerative disease Parkinson’s and recently had major spinal surgery.

But he still shares titbits that make headlines, like last week’s revelation on his podcast that he used to wet himself onstage, arguing that he was "wet anyway" as he used to spray water pistols when he was performing.

Ozzy and Sharon, 71, have never been shy of a bit of controversy. They sparked conversation when they talked on the podcast about having an assisted suicide pact if they were suffering from something like dementia.

They originally shared their plans in 2007, with Sharon telling the Mirror: "We believe 100% in euthanasia so have drawn up plans to go to the assisted suicide flat in Switzerland if we ever have an illness that affects our brains. If Ozzy or I ever got Alzheimer's, that's it - we'd be off."

The children’s lives

Another reason we’ve stayed hooked is that Kelly and Jack have grown up to lead showbizzy lives in the spotlight themselves.

Kelly, 38, has been open with fans about her ups and downs, such as her struggles with drink and drugs.

The star is sober now but in 2020 said on The Recovery podcast that she didn’t expect to still be alive today.

"I never thought I'd be alive at 35 years old,” she said. "A lot of my friends didn't make it and burying them was hard. I had survivor's guilt for a long time.”

Jack, 37, has also battled addiction and in April this year celebrated 20 years of sobriety.

“I can remember being a newcomer and thinking about how old I would be at 20 years sober and what it would be like,” he said on Instagram.

“I can say it’s nothing like what I imagined. 5, 10, or 15 years felt like such impossibility when I was new, but it didn’t just happen, it came from hard work and a desire to never go back to the place I was in.

"Don’t get me wrong, my road hasn’t been void of struggle. I’ve never wanted it to be. In fact I’ve found the struggle has yielded the most rewarding moments in my recovery.”

New family career plans

The Osbournes ended in 2005 but the family stayed in the spotlight, with Sharon doing shows like The X Factor and The Talk while Ozzy continued to perform.

They launched a podcast this year, allowing them to connect with a new generation of fans as well as their loyal followers.

And they also have plans to return to the reality TV scene.

They will star in Home To Roost, which the BBC said would follow them "as they attempt to re-start their lives in rural Buckinghamshire",

The 10-episode series was confirmed by the BBC in 2022.

Clare Sillery, head of commissioning, documentaries, said at the time: “I’m delighted that the Osbournes will be sharing this next chapter in their lives with BBC viewers in what promises to be a funny, moving and honest insight into their new life in the UK.”

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