Sharon Osbourne backs campaign to rename Birmingham airport after Ozzy Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne has thrown her support behind a campaign to rename Birmingham International Airport in honour of her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne.
Following the tragic death of the Black Sabbath frontman in July, aged 76, after a cardiac arrest, an online petition was launched, which immediately gathered momentum and continues to do so with each passing day.
The campaign was started by podcaster and fan Dan Hudson, who described Ozzy as “the most important musician ever to hail from Birmingham” and said upon launching the petition that “naming our international airport after him would be a fitting tribute to his extraordinary career and contributions to the arts”.
As of writing, the campaign has close to 70,000 signatures and has just landed its most important name yet by gaining the support of Sharon Osbourne.
The music mogul said of the campaign: “It would be amazing. The world loved Ozzy. It’s just a dream right now, but sometimes dreams come true.”
The support from Sharon has delighted Hudson, who launched the campaign. He told the BBC, following her comments, “It’s amazing to see that Sharon is backing the idea. The campaign is growing and growing and there’s even more momentum now with Sharon on board.”
It has also gained the backing of Birmingham City Council member Edward Fitter, who said, “Ozzy’s legacy deserves to be remembered here in the West Midlands.”
Fitter continued, “We already have Ozzy the bull at Grand Central, which is fantastic, and with his family’s support we should continue to celebrate his contribution to music and to Birmingham’s global identity.”
If Birmingham International Airport were to be named after Osbourne, he would not be the first notable cultural figure to have the honour. Belfast International Airport was renamed after footballing legend George Best in 2006, following his death, and Liverpool Airport has been named Liverpool John Lennon Airport since 2001.
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