Ozzy Osbourne sent his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi a “Guinness bar” during his cancer battle because he was convinced the alcoholic beverage would help him beat the disease.
Ozzy Osbourne sent his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi a “Guinness bar” during his cancer battle.
The 78-year-old guitarist was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma back in 2012 and he has revealed the band’s frontman sent a truck loaded with Guinness to his house because he was convinced the alcoholic beverage would help his pal beat the disease.
Tony told The Telegraph newspaper: “He sent somebody to set up a Guinness bar at the house. They turned up with this truck and said: ‘We’ve been told to deliver this.’
“I said: ‘Who told you this?’ And of course it was Ozzy.”
Tony sent the truck away, but it didn’t deter Ozzy – who then sent the musician “barrels” of Guinness instead.
The guitarist – who is now in remission from the disease – explained: “Ozzy said: ‘Well, I’ll just send you some cans of Guinness then’. Barrels of it [arrived]. It’s a bit over the top, but that was him. He was really caring.”
In the interview, Tony also opened up about the last conversation he had with Ozzy just hours before his death in July 2025.
Tony revealed: “Ozzy said: ‘I’m really tired. I’m absolutely shattered.’ I said: ‘Well, it’s been a tough few weeks. You’re bound to be.’ He went: ‘Yeah, I’ll try to do that [get some rest].’ And that was it.
“Then I heard the next day that he’d gone. And that was weird.”
Ozzy’s death came just weeks after he reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for one final gig in their hometown of Birmingham and Tony revealed the Back To The Beginning concert at the Villa Park stadium was “difficult” because Ozzy had to stay seated due to his various health issues.
Tony explained: “We all were shocked because they had to help him in and carry him in and sit him down. We had a chat and a laugh, but it was just sad to see him like that …
“It’s like he wasn’t there. [I was] so used to, over the years, him running backwards and forwards and coming up, pulling faces and having a laugh.
“All of a sudden, there I am playing to the back of a chair. Also, [drummer] Bill [Ward] wanted me to stand by him because he was unsure of certain things.
“But we got through it and Ozzy was pleased afterwards. I’m glad we did it.”
Tony concluded: “He was a part of my life for 60 years. I do miss him.”
Ozzy Osbourne sent Tony Iommi a Guinness bar during cancer battle
