Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is wishing his longtime band mate and heavy metal co-founder Ozzy Osbourne a "speedy recovery" after news broke that Ozzy was hospitalized this week with flu complications.
Sharon Osbourne confirmed that her husband has been in the hospital since Monday at his doctor's recommendation. Ozzy has been battling bronchitis and the flu for the better part of two weeks. Sharon said the front man's doctor recommended the measure as "the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery."
"I'm wishing Ozzy Osbourne a speedy recovery and I know he'll be gutted that he's had to cancel part of his tour but I'm sure he'll be back on stage as soon as he's able," Iommi wrote via a Tweet sent out Thursday morning. "Get better soon my friend. Lots of love Oz, Tony x."
On the way to visit his dad Thursday, Ozzy's son Jack announced that the singer was doing "much better."
After initially postponing the first four shows of his tour of the U.K. and Europe due to illness, Ozzy later announced that he was "devastated" to have to move the entire trek to next fall. His doctor was concerned Ozzy would be vulnerable to pneumonia if he were to subject himself to rigorous travel too soon.
Ozzy's latest hospital stay is his second in just five months. He received several surgeries and was hospitalized for over a week in October after contracting a near-fatal staph infection in his hand.
Iommi knows his longtime band mate's struggle better than most. The guitarist battled cancer in the earlier part of this decade and has said he fully expects the disease to return. Urgency around Iommi's health contributed to Ozzy's return to Black Sabbath, and to the band's decision to record its swan song album, 13, and go on a proper farewell tour, which ended in February of 2017.
Since retiring Black Sabbath, Ozzy has expressed frustration with Iommi's leadership of the band but also said he would consider bringing it back for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which are set to take place in Black Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham, England.
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