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Ozzy Osbourne on the prospect of getting a knighthood: 'I can't imagine anything better'

Black Sabbath singer said Sharon becoming a Lady would be 'cool'

Natasha Culzac
Monday 30 June 2014 00:58 BST
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Ozzy Osbourne has said he would love to be knighted
Ozzy Osbourne has said he would love to be knighted (Getty Images)

Rocker Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he would love the honour of a knighthood, following a 14,000-strong petition urging the Cabinet Office to nominate him for one.

The Black Sabbath frontman said he’d heard about the campaign and that it was a possibility he could seriously get used to. “Getting knighted? I can’t imagine anything better.

“And my wife [Sharon] would become a Lady, which would be pretty cool. But I’m not gonna get upset if it doesn’t happen. I never thought I’d get further than Aston [in Birmingham, where he was born],” he told Time Out last week.

His comments come after thousands of people sign an online petition for the self-styled ‘Prince of Darkness’ to be honoured in the Queen’s list.

“I am campaigning for Ozzy Osbourne to receive a Knighthood,” the petition by Helen Maidiotis begins, “as he thoroughly deserves this honour not only for all his charity work but for all his years entertaining us and helping make a difference to peoples' lives, who have looked up to him for his strong will and determination to get through the many obstacles that he has come across and for that we thank you Ozzy!”

The Queen issues honours mostly using the advice of the Cabinet Office, with recommendations normally sent to its Ceremonial Secretariat for consideration.

According to the British Monarchy’s website, the UK honours system “rewards people for merit, service or bravery.”

“Anybody can make a recommendation for a British national to receive an honour,” the website states, with awards given to “deserving and high-achieving people from every section of the community.”

The 65-year-old also said that he doesn’t dwell on his success often, but that perhaps he should allow it some thought.

“I know when I had my first successful album with Sabbath I thought ‘Oh, this is great, this will last a couple of years, I’ll just get drunk every night and have a few chicks in my room’.

“And here I am, 45 years down the road and I’m doing better than ever. I haven’t always been on top of the world, there have been bad times as well, but you don’t just give up at the first sign of choppy waters, you carry on rowing.”

And rowing the band are, with Black Sabbath confirmed as the headline act at the British Summertime festival in London’s Hyde Park on 4 July.

The heavy metal band will be supported by Soundgarden and Faith No More.

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