Ozzy Osbourne Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis, Says He Misses Fans: ‘They’re My Air’

Ozzy Osbourne has opened up about his battle with Parkinson’s disease, telling “Good Morning America” that he felt it was time to talk about it because he misses performing and wants his fans to know he misses them.

“I’m no good with secrets,” Osbourne told Robin Roberts in an interview that aired Tuesday. “I cannot walk around with it anymore, ’cause it’s like I’m running out of excuses, you know?”

In a conversation with Roberts and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, the rocker sometimes known as the Prince of Darkness talked about a fall he had last year and his subsequent diagnosis of Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disorder with no known cure.

“I did my last show New Year’s Eve at the Forum [in Los Angeles]. Then I had a bad fall,” he told Roberts. “I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves.”

Sharon said her husband has PRKN 2, adding: “There’s so many different types of Parkinson’s. It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it’s… it’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.”

Ozzy has since postponed a world tour and remains at home, grappling with issues like numbness and nerve pain.

“I got a numbness down this arm from the surgery,” he told Roberts. “My legs keep going cold. I don’t know if that’s the Parkinson’s or what… That’s the problem. Because they cut nerves when they did the surgery. I’d never heard of nerve pain, and it’s a weird feeling.”

The family plans to go to a professional in Switzerland in an effort to help Ozzy get his “immune system at its peak,” Sharon said.

Ozzy said he misses his fans “so much” and that he hopes they “hang in there for me, because I need them.”

“They’re my air, you know,” he said. “I want to see my people.” He added that he can’t wait to get well so he can get back on the road.

“I need it. It’s my drug today. I’ve done all the other crap. Left that by the wayside, survived all that,” he said, alluding to his previous issues with drugs and alcohol. “I ain’t going to go anywhere yet.”