"I really do apologise. I love you and I think you're beautiful": Ozzy Osbourne quells his unexpected beef with Britney Spears but not really

Ozzy Osbourne studio portrait plus Britney Spears red carpet photos, both headshots
(Image credit: Ozzy Osbourne: Ross Halfin | Britney Spears: Valerie Macon, Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Ozzy Osbourne versus Britney Spears was the beef that no one expected. And there's been another development.

One of 2024's more undignified spats kicked off on a recent episode of Ozzy, Sharon and their family’s podcast, where they criticised the ...Baby One More Time singer’s dancing.

"I'm fed up of seeing poor old Britney Spears [dancing] on Youtube every fuckin' day," moaned the Black Sabbath legend. "It's sad, very, very sad."

Spears quickly fired back, taking to Instagram to say, “I’m gonna… tell the Osbourne family who is the most boring family known to mankind to kindly fuck off!"

Spears' post has now been deleted, but the saga rolls on unabated, with Ozzy apologising for his original comments while simultaneously reiterating them.

In a video promoting the latest episode of the podcast, Kelly Osbourne asks if the family owes Spears an apology, before the original "offending" comments are replayed. Kelly and Jack Osbourne then appear sincere in their wish to quell the beef, but Ozzy is a little less conciliatory.

"Britney, I really owe you an apology," says the Prince of Darkness. "I'm so sorry for making that comment. However, it would be better if you didn't do the same fucking dance every day. Change a few movements… I love Britney Spears, but it's the same dance every day!"

"I really do apologise," he adds. "I love you and I think you're beautiful."

Back on planet Earth, Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has become the final member of the band to confirm that he'd like to play one last show with the original lineup.

"I’m in for playing some of everyone’s old favourites," Ward said on social media. "Loved playing them then, I’d love to play them one last time. I’m not going to talk about my health publicly except to say, every day I’m pretty good for 76 years old, I’m active musically every day, and I have a very busy and gratifying life."

Previously. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler had all cautiously expressed optimism over the prospect of a final show from the band, who formed in 1968.  

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.