Turns Out the BBC Had a Very Good Reason for Not Airing the Ozzy Documentary Yesterday
Yesterday, metalheads in the U.K. (and those of us with VPNs) were interested in checking out the long-awaited documentary on the late Ozzy Osbourne that was supposed to air on BBC One and iPlayer, titled Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home. Yet when the time came, it never aired — it was replaced by an episode of Fake or Fortune, raising the hackles of every Ozzy and Black Sabbath fan that wanted to sit down and learn more about the final chapter of the iconic vocalist’s life weeks after his death on July 22.
As most major companies are wont to do these days, the BBC decided not to let people know ahead of time of the scheduling change, nor did they release a statement explaining why it happened until after frustrations boiled online. And while it had to have been a frustrating moment for everyone tuning in and expecting to see the “Prince of Darkness” one more time, it turns out the BBC had a very reasonable explanation for the change — it was a direct request from the Osbournes themselves.
According to a statement issued by the BBC, the documentary’s airing was postponed because Ozzy’s surviving kin wanted to wait a bit longer before revisiting everything all over again:
“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.”
Those of you that have been following along know that Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home was originally conceived in 2022 as a show called Home To Roost that was supposed to outline Ozzy and Sharon’s return to the U.K. to live out the rest of their days, as well as the vocalist’s attempt at getting strong enough to perform.
Unfortunately, things didn’t progress as initially intended due to Ozzy’s declining health and the show was reduced to an hour-long special. Over time, the documentary captures the family’s fun and heartbreaking interactions in equal measure as they deal with Ozzy’s battle with Parkinson’s Disease and other ailments.
At the time, Clare Sillery, the BBC’s head of commissioning for documentaries, explained that the special was an “intimate glimpse into their journey as they prepare to return to the U.K. It features family moments, humor, reflection, and shows the enduring spirit that made Ozzy a global icon. We hope it brings comfort and joy to Ozzy’s fans and viewers as they remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.”
The international rights to Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home are being handled by Banijay Rights, and it is expected to see wide release after its BBC broadcast date is confirmed.
