Universal praise for BBC’s Ozzy Osbourne farewell film

Congratulations to Stern & Wild filmmaker Leo McCrea one of the Directors of the much-anticipated documentary SHARON & OZZY OSBOURNE: COMING HOME which has received rave reviews following its premiere on BBC One last Thursday.

Originally intended as a 10x30 min series documenting the married couple’s return to the UK from Los Angeles, the project was paused due to Ozzy’s worsening health and then reimagined as a 1x60 min film following the announcement of the singer’s plan for a farewell concert with Black Sabbath in July this year at Villa Park in Birmingham. Following Ozzy’s tragic death a few weeks after his final show, the film’s August broadcast was postponed and the film recut to include his extraordinary public funeral procession.

The film began shooting in September 2022 with Leo as Director; final filming and recutting were led by Director Paula Wittig. The film is an Expectation production for the BBC. Exec Producers are Ben Wicks, Colin Barr, Rachael Barnes, Louisa McKay; BBC Commissioners are Clare Sillery and Carl Callam.

SHARON & OZZY OSBOURNE: COMING HOME is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

“What would have already been a moving film, elegantly made, on Ozzy and Sharon’s seemingly unending love and the entry into late life together, without the kids, becomes emotionally wrought in light of Ozzy’s death. All the bittersweet sadness that the Osbournes process on screen is cast with a second meaning in light of his passing; there’s a finality to it all.”
Hannah Ewens, The Independent ★ ★ ★ ★★

“Don’t go into this programme expecting an unsanitised deep dive into Ozzy’s life and work – instead appreciate this compellingly intimate and extremely moving farewell.”
Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian ★ ★ ★ ★

“COMING HOME is intimate, offbeat, sometimes awkward and bumbling, but ultimately very moving because it cannot conform to the kind of editorial stage management pioneered by the Osbournes’ original show. One moment it’s all jokes and then we are watching Ozzy’s funeral procession, with the star himself supplying philosophical voice-over narration (with subtitles for those not raised in the Midlands).”
Neil McCormick, The Telegraph ★ ★ ★ ★

“Trust the Osbournes. Here was their documentary about a very final homecoming, about loss of health, about no longer being able to do what you were born to do, about dying … and it was funny. Initially, anyway, before the poignancy, brewing from the start under SHARON & OZZY OSBOURNE: COMING HOME, threatened to become overwhelming.”
James Jackson, The Times ★ ★ ★ ★

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Photograph: Ruaridh Connellan/Expectation/BBC