When people hear the name Ozzy Osbourne, they often think immediately of his decades-long marriage to Sharon Osbourne — a partnership that has endured wild highs, devastating lows, and more public scrutiny than most couples could survive. Yet few realize that before Sharon, before the MTV cameras and the heavy-metal empire, Ozzy was already a husband and father.
In 1971, at just 23 years old, Ozzy married Thelma Riley, a schoolteacher he met at a Birmingham nightclub. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage and a family that grew quickly. Thelma had two children from a previous relationship, whom Ozzy adopted, and together they welcomed a daughter, Jessica. At first, it seemed like the beginnings of stability for a young rock star on the rise. But behind the curtain, Ozzy was already battling the chaos that would define much of his early career.
By his own admission, Ozzy struggled deeply during those years. The demands of fame, constant touring with Black Sabbath, and his escalating battles with addiction strained the marriage beyond repair. Looking back, Ozzy has been brutally honest about those years, even referring to himself as “a terrible husband and a terrible father.” He rarely saw his children, and the distance created wounds that would take decades to even begin to heal.
The marriage ended in divorce in 1982, the same year Ozzy married Sharon. Unlike his first marriage, his second partnership became not only personal but also professional. Sharon took on the role of his manager, guiding his solo career into arenas and onto charts that made him a global icon beyond his Sabbath fame. Where Thelma had known the struggling young musician, Sharon knew the legend — and helped shape him into one.
Their relationship was no fairytale. Addiction, scandal, and near-collapse followed them through the years, yet somehow they weathered every storm. Together they raised three children — Aimee, Kelly, and Jack — and built a strange but enduring empire that would eventually make them one of the most famous families in entertainment.
Today, when Ozzy speaks of his life, he rarely hides from the pain of the past. He acknowledges the mistakes of his first marriage, the heartbreak left behind, and the lessons carried forward. While the world may remember him most as Sharon’s husband, the story of his first marriage to Thelma Riley remains a poignant reminder of a young man caught between ordinary domestic life and the extraordinary chaos of rock stardom.
In the end, the tale of Ozzy’s two marriages is less about gossip and more about survival. One union couldn’t withstand the storm, while the other — battered but unbroken — still stands as one of rock’s most complicated love stories.
And though Sharon’s name may dominate the headlines, the truth remains: Ozzy Osbourne’s journey as a husband began long before the cameras ever rolled.