Flowers left at Broad Street landmark as tributes paid to Black Sabbath legend who has died aged 76
20:07, 22 Jul 2025Updated 20:26, 22 Jul 2025
Flowers were tonight laid in memory of Birmingham’s most iconic metal legend at the city’s very own Black Sabbath bench.
Fans converged on the Broad Street landmark within minutes of news that Ozzy Osbourne had died at 76, just days after he returned to his home city for the last time for a giant celebration of Black Sabbath’s legacy.
Gerard Fee, who was visiting friends in Birmingham from Northern Ireland, made an immediate pilgrimage to the bench after hearing the news.
READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne dead at 76 – updates and reaction
He said: “It’s very sad, he’s such an icon. I think he held on for the Birmingham event, and that was what he wanted.”
Yasmine Summan lays flowers at the Black Sabbath bench tonight.
Yasmine Summan, who lives locally and wanted to pay tribute, turned up with her friend Georgia to lay flowers on the bench.
She said: “I’m a metal fan and he meant a lot to this city. I saw him at Download a few years ago and he was amazing. We didn’t manage to get tickets for the big concert but we had a bar crawl and played their music. Such a sad loss.”
Gerard Fee was visiting friends from Northern Ireland and headed straight for the bench.
Celebrities from across the world were also paying their respects after Osbourne’s family revealed his death in a short statement tonight.
Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood, who was at the Villa Park concert earlier this month, said he was “very sad”.
He posted on X: “I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne.
“What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
And UB0’s Ali Campbell said: “You didn’t just shape a culture, you defined it. You led from the front and never looked back.
“My thoughts are with Sharon and the entire Osbourne family during this time.”