Sharon Osbourne's poignant reason for sticking by Ozzy through his most painful affair

Sharon Osbourne opened up about her reason for staying with Ozzy through his darkest times - and a most painful affair that almost destroyed her.

Today Sharon paid tribute to her husband of more than 40 years, with the pair having one of the most turbulent marriages in showbiz. Speaking out alongside their children, grieving widow Sharon said: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis."

Sharon met hell-raiser Ozzy in the 1970s via her father - the former Black Sabbath manager Don Arden. Sharon took over managing Osbourne after he was booted from his heavy metal group, and never left his side.

READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne dead UPDATES: Black Sabbath legend dies aged 76 days after final performance

The couple tied the knot on July 4, 1982 in Hawaii just after Ozzy finalised his divorce from his first wife Thelma Riley. Ozzy later admitted he'd put Thelma 'through hell', but his marriage to Sharon endured an even rockier ride.

In their lowest moment, Sharon discovered emails that revealed Ozzy had been unfaithful with celebrity hairdresser Michelle Pugh between 2012 and 2016.

Sharonrevealed that she tried to take her own life with an overdose in a heartbreaking admission.

It caused the couple to temporary split with the couple's spokesman confirming at the time that they "mutually agreed" that Ozzy would move out of their marital home.

Sharon said having an affair with someone she knew was by far the most painful thing he'd put her through. "He always, always had groupies and I was so used to that. But when he knows the name of the person, where they live and where they work... it is a whole different thing as you are emotionally invested. I took, I don’t know how many pills."

Speaking on stage as part of her UK tour with friend and Loose Women star Jane Moore, Sharon continued: "I just thought, 'My kids are older, they are fine and can take care of themselves. So, I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean the room and saw me."

The mum also confirmed the couple's split during an appearance on US chat show The Talk in 2016. "I'm 63 years of age, and I can't keep living like this," she said. "I've been avoiding looking at any pictures or reading anything. I know what's going on. I don't need to read about or see about it. It's like putting salt in a wound. I don't need to... He's back, and now I'm out of the house."

"I felt like a fool. It was as though everyone else had known about it and that everybody was laughing at me. I felt very humiliated and belittled."

Sharon said people were waiting for her to leave for good but she ultimately, after a brief break while she got over the shock she returned. Speaking about he reasons why, she said: "I'm not just his wife, I'm his manager. When he hit rock bottom I didn't walk away I pulled him through the mud and put him back on stage."

She continued : "$800 net worth but do you really think I stayed for mansions and champagne?"

In 2023, Ozzy was diagnosed with Parksinson's, "He didn't want to stop so I pushed him forward," said Sharon.

"Tours, recordings, promo I showed up for all of it. I stayed to hold up the name Ozzy Osbourne until the very end."

She added: “A therapist would diagnose him as an addict and me as a nutter but we are totally co-dependent.”

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