BBC delayed Ozzy Osbourne film due to ‘family’s wishes’

The BBC says it took a last-minute decision to postpone a documentary about Ozzy Osbourne’s final years in order to respect the wishes of his family.

Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home had been due to air on BBC One at 21:00 BST on 18 August, but was removed from the schedule earlier in the day.

The BBC said: “Our sympathies are with the Osbourne family at this difficult time. We are respecting the family’s wishes to wait a bit longer before airing this very special film. The new [transmission] date will be confirmed shortly.”

No reason was initially given for delaying the film, which covers the star’s return to the UK, his farewell concert in July and his death at the age of 76 later that month.

The BBC said on Monday the film had been “moved in the schedules”. It was replaced by an episode of Fake Or Fortune?

The documentary was originally conceived as a 10-part series titled Home to Roost, which was to follow Ozzy and wife Sharon’s “attempt to re-start their lives” in Buckinghamshire.

As Ozzy’s health deteriorated, however, it was converted to a single, hour-long film depicting the last three years of his life.

The BBC had previously described the documentary as a “moving and inspirational account of the last chapter of Ozzy’s life, told through unique and intimate access to the whole Osbourne family, including Sharon, Jack and Kelly”.

However, it was scheduled to be screened less than a month after his death, and less than three weeks after Sharon and their children made a highly emotional appearance in front of crowds in his home city of Birmingham on the eve of his funeral.