As Black Sabbath gears up for their highly anticipated final show, an unexpected controversy has emerged. Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi recently revealed plans for a prank targeting former drummer Bill Ward, but fans are not amused.
During an interview with Planet Rock, Sharon and Iommi discussed Ward’s place in the band and joked about their idea for the prank.
“There’s always been that thing certainly I know with Oz as well, with that Bill wasn’t part of it. I mean, that was Bill’s own doing, but now he’s a part of it, and we’re not doing it. Just gonna leave him up there,” Iommi explained.
Sharon then added, “Just Bill! Can you imagine? There’s lights, lights, lights, and then it’s just Bill with his red tights on. Can you imagine?”
Iommi chimed in with, “We should buy him some of them. He’d probably put them on.”
Though the pair seemed to be reminiscing about the band’s long history of onstage antics, fans did not take it lightly.
Fan Outrage: “Show Bill Some Respect”
Black Sabbath fans were quick to react, calling out Iommi and Sharon for disrespecting Ward.
One fan commented, “Show Bill some f*ckin respect.” Another added, “SIR Bill Ward. Put some respect on the man’s name.”
A third user was even more direct, saying, “I’d sack it off if I were Bill, clearly they have no respect for one of the most pioneering drummers in history.”
The backlash stems not only from the prank itself but also from the long-running tensions between Ward and the rest of the band. His absence from their 2013 reunion album, 13 and later tours has long been a sore spot among fans.
A Dark History of Band Pranks
The controversy also resurfaces Black Sabbath’s history of extreme pranks, many of which involved Ward as the target.
One of the most infamous incidents was when Iommi set Ward on fire. The guitarist admitted to the stunt during the same interview:
“One of the things we did, yeah.”
During the 1970s, Iommi poured rubbing alcohol on Ward and lit him up, thinking it was all in good fun. But things quickly got out of hand when Ward collapsed in pain, rolling on the floor as the flames consumed him. The situation became serious enough that an ambulance had to be called to treat his burns.
While the band was known for its wild antics, some fans feel that pranking Ward—especially during their final show—is a step too far.
Ozzy’s Wish for One Last Show with Ward
The situation is even more complicated given that Ozzy Osbourne recently expressed his desire to reunite with Ward for one final performance.
Speaking on The Madhouse Chronicles, the Prince of Darkness shared his thoughts on a potential last show with all four original members:
“If [Black Sabbath] wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I would jump at the chance.”
Ozzy even imagined a spontaneous, unannounced club show, saying, “Do you know what would be cool? If we went to a club or something unannounced and we just got up and did it. We started up in a club.”
Black Sabbath’s First Show with Original Members Since 2005
The upcoming show marks the first time all of Black Sabbath’s original members will share the stage since 2005. While many fans were excited about the long-awaited reunion, the recent prank controversy has cast a shadow over the event.
With tensions running high, the question remains—will the final show be a true celebration of Black Sabbath’s legacy, or will old wounds overshadow the moment?
