The BBC pulled a documentary about Ozzy Osbourne‘s final years from its programming schedule mere hours before its planned premiere on Monday, August 18th.
The British broadcaster offered no explanation for the sudden postponement of Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home, leaving fans and viewers without clarity on when or if the film will eventually air.
A BBC spokesperson provided a brief statement to Rolling Stone, saying: “The film has moved in the schedules and we’ll confirm new tx [transmission] details in due course.” Representatives from Expectation, the production company behind the documentary, also didn’t respond to requests for comment regarding the last-minute schedule change. The Osbourne family’s representatives have similarly remained silent on the matter.
Coming Home was filmed over three years and originally conceived as a different project entirely. Initially announced in 2022 as a series titled Home to Roost, the production was meant to document the Osbourne family’s long-held dream of returning to England. However, the documentary’s focus shifted significantly as Osbourne’s health declined during the filming period.
The metal icon spent his final years battling Parkinson’s disease while also dealing with ongoing complications from injuries sustained during a late-night fall in 2019. These health challenges fundamentally altered the nature of the documentary, transforming it from a family relocation story into something far more poignant.
Producers described Coming Home as a “remarkably candid and uplifting tribute” to Osbourne. The documentary reportedly includes exclusive and intimate footage of the entire Osbourne family, providing viewers with unprecedented access to their private moments during this difficult period.
Particularly significant is the inclusion of footage showing Osbourne preparing physically for what would become his farewell concert, which took place in early July, just weeks before his death.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of metal, rock, indie, pop, and everything else in between.
Clare Sillery, the BBC’s head of documentary commissioning, previously praised the film for capturing Osbourne’s “enduring spirit.” She expressed hope that the documentary would “bring comfort and joy to Ozzy’s fans and viewers as they remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.”
The BBC’s decision to remove the programme so close to its broadcast time is unusual, though not unprecedented for sensitive documentary content. The documentary’s intimate nature and the recent timing of Osbourne’s passing may have contributed to the decision to delay the broadcast.
