Why Did Ozzy Osbourne Almost Kill Sharon Osbourne? Rocker Strangled Wife In 1989

Ozzy Osbourne once described it as the calmest moment of his life. In 1989, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman attempted to kill his wife, Sharon Osbourne, in a terrifying incident fuelled by addiction. In the A&E documentary Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne, the rock icon recalls the harrowing night with disturbing serenity: 'Everything was just peaceful.'

Sharon remembered things quite differently. She said she had just put their three children — Kelly, Jack and Aimee — to bed and was in her room when Ozzy, heavily intoxicated, walked in. 'He turned to me and said, "We've come to a decision that you've got to die," and then he lunged at me,' Sharon said. She pressed a panic button as he strangled her, triggering a swift police response.

Ozzy later woke up in jail with no memory of the attack. 'Why am I here?' he asked a police officer. The response: 'John Michael Osbourne, you have been arrested for the attempted murder of Sharon Osbourne.'

Years in a Toxic Spiral

Ozzy's history with addiction dates back to his teenage years, but it worsened after joining Black Sabbath. He grew up in a working-class family in Birmingham and said he used alcohol early on to deal with anxiety. By the time fame hit in the late 1960s, heavy drinking was a daily habit, and soon after, drugs became routine. He once admitted he couldn't even recall the births of his children due to his chronic substance abuse.

His lifestyle became more volatile in the 1970s when he was introduced to cocaine and LSD. By 1979, his behaviour had become so erratic that Black Sabbath fired him. He went on extended benders, sometimes isolating himself in hotel rooms for weeks with nothing but drugs and alcohol. Despite multiple interventions, it wasn't until decades later that he seriously sought help.

From Rock Bottom to Recovery

Ozzy's darkest point was arguably the night he tried to kill Sharon, but even that wasn't enough to make him stop drinking. He later recalled that incident as a wake-up call, yet continued to struggle for years. In an interview, he spoke candidly about blackouts, waking up in jail, and being horrified by his own actions.

Eventually, he began attending Alcoholics Anonymous and checked into multiple rehab clinics. Initially sceptical, he changed his mindset after realising he'd once frequented terrible bars just to get a drink. That memory helped him commit to meetings and sobriety.

Still, sobriety wasn't a straight path. In a 2024 interview, Ozzy revealed he once consumed 28 gallons of alcohol during the Christmas season. He also admitted to experimenting with ketamine under medical supervision and using marijuana on occasion. Despite those slips, he's been largely sober since the early 2010s.

A Turbulent Legacy With a Turn

Ozzy's addiction had ripple effects on his entire family. Both Jack and Kelly Osbourne battled substance issues of their own but eventually achieved sobriety. Sharon, after surviving the attack and many turbulent years, remained by his side.

While he openly discusses his demons, Ozzy credits his ongoing recovery to a combination of family support, professional help, and a refusal to give in. His later years were marked by a desire to repair what had been broken.

That fateful night in 1989 didn't end Sharon's life, but it did change Ozzy's. It forced him to face his worst self — and ultimately to fight for something better.