Share and Follow
We may earn a commission from purchases made through links in this article.
Kelly Osbourne’s journey from childhood to adulthood largely unfolded in the public eye, though not always by her own choosing. As the daughter of iconic rock star Ozzy Osbourne and TV personality Sharon Osbourne, Kelly was constantly surrounded by the limelight, chaos, and unyielding public attention. Her rise to fame was cemented with MTV’s trailblazing reality show, “The Osbournes,” in the early 2000s, which made her a familiar face in households everywhere. Audiences were captivated by the depiction of a somewhat rebellious teenager navigating life within one of rock music’s most unpredictable families.
Over the years, Kelly has forged her own path as a singer, actress, and television host, gaining acclaim for her role as a co-host on “Fashion Police.” Her candid humor and evolving fashion sense charmed a whole new audience. However, away from the spotlight, Kelly faced personal battles. She has been open about her long-standing struggle with addiction, having first entered rehab as a teenager. Additionally, she has faced harsh tabloid scrutiny regarding her appearance and has had to cope with the emotional challenges following the death of her father in 2025. Despite her resilience, Kelly’s story is deeply intertwined with instances of personal heartbreak.
Kelly Osbourne’s battle with substance abuse has been a long-standing one, marked by seven stints in rehab, beginning at the age of 19. In 2021, she disclosed that her addiction began with a prescription for opioids following a tonsillectomy at 13. “They gave me Vicodin. And that was all I needed,” Kelly shared on Red Table Talk in 2021. She explained that drugs became her escape from negativity, intensifying her reliance on them.
In the 2024 documentary, “TMZ Investigates: Matthew Perry and the Secret Celebrity Drug Ring,” Kelly recounted her first rehab experience, describing it as “like university on how to be a better drug addict,” according to Fox News. The singer of “One Word” remembered how other addicts at the center provided tips that unwittingly facilitated drug use. She observed, “I’d also seen people threaten to leave until they got what they wanted, whether it be Ambien for sleep or Valium for nerves—they would somehow end up getting it.” Her drug use spiraled during two critical periods: when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and when her father had a near-fatal ATV accident in 2003. Nearly two decades later, in May 2022, Kelly proudly marked one year of sobriety.
She’s been to rehab for drug abuse
Kelly Osbourne has struggled with drug abuse for many years and has been to rehab seven separate times — the first when she was 19. In 2021, Osbourne revealed that her drug addiction began when she was prescribed opioids after undergoing tonsil surgery at 13. “They gave me Vicodin. And that was all I needed,” Osbourne said on Red Table Talk in 2021. She explained that drugs helped her mute the negativity in her life, which only deepened her desire to use.
In the 2024 documentary, “TMZ Investigates: Matthew Perry and the Secret Celebrity Drug Ring,” Osbourne opened up about the very first time she went to rehab. “First rehab I went to was like university on how to be a better drug addict,” she said (via Fox News). The “One Word” singer recalled receiving tips from fellow addicts in the rehab center that only made using drugs easier. She added: “I’d also seen people threaten to leave until they got given what they wanted, whether it be Ambien for sleep or Valium for nerves — they would somehow end up getting it.” Osbourne’s drug use became particularly bad during two times in her life: First, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer back in 2002, and again when her father nearly died in an ATV accident back in 2003. About two decades later, in May 2022, Osbourne celebrated one year of sobriety.
Kelly Osbourne was committed to a mental institution — twice
Kelly Osbourne’s life took another tragic turn when her mom had her committed to a mental institution — not once, but twice. In a 2013 interview with Cosmopolitan (via Page Six), Osbourne said that her mother took action in hopes of scaring her into not wanting to use drugs anymore. “My mum … had me put in a padded cell to scare me, but like a brat I just sat it out until she said, ‘Well, that’s not going to work,’” Osbourne recalled.
In her 2017 memoir, “There Is No F***ing Secret: Letters From a Badass B****,” Osbourne recalled the three days she spent “locked up” in a facility that was meant to help her. “It scared the hell out of me. … I had to wear paper shoes, since I could potentially kill myself with a shoelace, and wasn’t allowed to have anything metal, not even a spoon,” she wrote. Osbourne noted that she wasn’t suicidal, but she knew that her mom was trying to send her a message: “Stop using drugs before I was gone for good.”
Her father’s death left her heartbroken
On July 22, 2025, the world was forced to say goodbye to the iconic Ozzy Osbourne. The Black Sabbath frontman died after suffering a heart attack at his home in Buckinghamshire in the UK. His death came just two weeks after he performed alongside Black Sabbath for a farewell concert called “Back to the Beginning.” His family, including daughter Kelly Osbourne, was on-hand to support the King of Darkness during his final show. And while that may have been a bittersweet occasion, no one could have predicted what would happen next.
Understandably, Kelly was left completely devastated after losing her dad. “I feel unhappy I am so sad. I lost the best friend I ever had,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories at the time (via Page Six), quoting a line from Black Sabbath’s “Changes.” Following Ozzy’s public funeral procession in Birmingham, England, Kelly returned to social media to thank fans for their support and to share an update on how she’s been feeling. “Grief is a strange thing — it sneaks up on you in waves — I will not be ok for a while — but knowing my family [is] not alone in our pain makes a difference,” she wrote (via Fox News).
Osbourne has been criticized over her weight
It seems as though Kelly Osbourne has been criticized over her weight ever since she became famous. If fans aren’t saying that she looks like she’s gained weight, they are scrutinizing her for looking too thin. It’s something Osbourne has dealt with for much of her adult life — and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
The former “Fashion Police” star hasn’t been shy about defending herself when her body becomes fodder for internet trolls. For example, in December 2025, Osbourne spoke out about people who accused her of using weight loss drugs and becoming too thin. In an Instagram Story, which was shared during her mother’s appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” Osbourne said: “My dad just died, and I’m doing the best that I can, and the only thing I have to live for right now is my family. And I choose to share my content with you and share the happy side of my life, not the miserable side of my life. So to all those people, f*** off.”
In February 2026, Osbourne’s appearance at the Brit Awards caused a stir, and she was bashed on social media. Without missing a beat, Osbourne took to her Instagram Stories to confront her critics. “There is a special kind of cruelty in harming someone who is clearly going through something,” she wrote (via The Hollywood Reporter). “I’m currently going through the hardest time in my life. I should not even have to defend myself. But I won’t sit here and allow myself to be dehumanized in such a way.”
Her mother was previously diagnosed with cancer
It’s no secret that Kelly Osbourne is incredibly close to her mother, Sharon Osbourne. When Sharon was diagnosed with colon cancer back in 2002, it was a devastating blow to the whole family — and one that Kelly took especially hard. As Sharon was receiving treatment, her husband, Ozzy Osbourne, was recovering from an ATV accident. “I still cannot read the letter I wrote about my mom’s cancer and my dad’s accident,” Kelly told Entertainment Weekly while promoting her memoir, which she wrote in a letter format. “I watched both of them come out of surgery and flatline and die in front of me and get brought back to life.”
Kelly struggled with the idea of losing her mother, and her whole world was flipped upside down as her mom went through treatment in hopes of beating cancer. “I was faced with the choice of a career or spending what could have been the last days of my mother’s life with her. … I became my mum’s nurse 24/7,” Kelly told ABC News, calling her mom her “best friend.” Sharon did, in fact, beat cancer. And while there’s always the fear of cancer returning or even being hereditary, Kelly discussed this with a bit of light-heartedness on a June 2024 episode of “The Osbournes” podcast. “I’m pickled from all the drugs and alcohol,” she mused, adding that she hopes her substance use has “embalmed” her from ever getting cancer.
Kelly is estranged from her sister, Aimee
When people think of the Osbournes, there are usually four people who come to mind: Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, and Jack Osbourne. However, Ozzy had four other kids – Jessica, Louis, Aimee, and Elliot — who don’t get as much attention because they live their lives outside the spotlight. When it comes to Kelly, her relationship with her half-siblings isn’t something that she often talks about. However, we do know that she’s estranged from her older sister, Aimee.
In May 2021, Osbourne sat down with Dax Shepard for an interview on his “Armchair Expert” podcast, during which she said she and Aimee don’t get along. “We don’t talk,” Kelly said. “We’re just really different. She doesn’t understand me, I don’t understand her.” In 2015, Aimee shared a similar sentiment about Kelly — and their brother, Jack. “I wouldn’t say there is an ease between us, but there is an acceptance. Do we socialize? No,” she told The Independent. As for the disconnect, it seems as though Aimee wanted nothing to do with fame and she dipped out on the family once they inked a deal to appear on MTV.
Kelly Osbourne was accused of being racist in 2015
In 2015, Kelly Osbourne faced being canceled after she made a comment on “The View” that had people calling her racist. “If you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet, Donald Trump?” Osbourne said in the clip, which was reshared all over social media, including Instagram. Following a great deal of backlash, Osbourne took to Facebook and released a statement, saying that she used a “poor choice of words” while trying to make a point. “I will not apologize for being a racist, as I am NOT. I [wholeheartedly] f***** up today,” she wrote. “I’ve learned a very valuable lesson,” she continued, adding that she cleans her own toilets — for good measure.
The criticism of Osbourne continued, but some of “The View” co-hosts, like Whoopi Goldberg, came to her defense. “The point she was actually trying to make was that Donald Trump’s stance on immigration will only end up hurting the people that Donald Trump is counting on,” Goldberg said on the next episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Goldberg suggested that Osbourne simply misspoke while on live television, but was clear about her feelings on the matter as they related to Osbourne. “It does not make you a racist,” Goldberg said. “Sometimes your head works faster than your mouth. It happens.”
She had a nervous breakdown after the pandemic lockdown that caused her to relapse
Following the COVID-19 lockdown, Kelly Osbourne suffered a mental breakdown that caused her to relapse. “I don’t know why my nervous breakdown happened at the end of the lockdown, I made it all the way through, everything was great and my life was perfect,” Osbourne told Extra in April 2021. “I am an addict and had thought that I had a enough time under my belt and I could drink like a normal person, and it turns out I cannot.” Kelly also went on to explain that the setback only lasted a couple of days before she was able to right the ship, so to speak.
In May 2022, Osbourne took to Instagram to mark one year of being sober. In a candid post, Osbourne thanked those who supported her throughout the journey and expressed feeling happy after putting in “the work.” However, her post-lockdown relapse made it abundantly clear that she really has to stay on top of her sobriety no matter how long it’s been. “I will never be normal,” she candidly told Extra.
Her son had a health scare in 2024
Kelly Osbourne welcomed her first child, a son named Sidney, with her boyfriend Sid Wilson — whom Osbourne met through her father – of Slipknot fame, in late 2022. It’s no surprise that Osbourne’s life has completely transformed since becoming a mom, a role that she truly seems to enjoy. However, raising a child comes with its own set of challenges, and when a child falls ill, it can be one of the most heartbreaking things to watch. This was the case for Osbourne when Sidney was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 2024.
According to the Mayo Clinic, RSV is very serious as it affects the lungs and respiratory tract. And while little Sidney pulled through, the highly contagious virus had Osbourne down and out. “There’s health scare after health scare and you have to sit there and you have to realize what is real, what is not, what is important, what is healthy, and what makes you feel the best version of yourself,” Osbourne told People magazine after both she and Sidney had recovered.
Kelly Osbourne suffered a 30-second seizure while filming ‘Fashion Police’
In March 2013 when Kelly Osbourne was working on “Fashion Police,” she suffered a 30-minute seizure while filming. She was treated by medical staff on set before being transported to a nearby hospital. “Kelly Osbourne fainted on the set of E!’s ‘Fashion Police’ today,” her rep told E! News at the time. “She was taken to a local hospital for further testing and is awake, alert and in stable condition. She will be staying overnight for observation as a precautionary measure.”
Though Osbourne did end up making a full recovery, there were still a lot of underlying questions about why she may have had that seizure. During an interview with Dr. Oz in 2017, Osbourne revealed that she had been diagnosed with epilepsy. “They put me on brain tranquilizers, a medication called Keppra, and I would only have about two hours of lifetime a day,” she recalled (via Just Jared). “I had my driver’s license taken away and … And I was, like, this is awful.” As far as the public knows, Osbourne has not suffered any additional seizures since.
She’s had to defend her family from online rumors
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Kelly Osbourne has never been one to shy away from standing up for herself — or for her family. Prior to her father’s death in 2025, there were all kinds of rumors floating around about his health and Osbourne was quick to debunk the gossip. Weeks before Ozzy Osbourne’s death, there was a video circulating on social media that featured a voice, meant to be Ozzy’s, saying, “I know I’m going to die.” Kelly posted to her Instagram Stories to let everyone know that the video was AI. “He’s not dying,” she affirmed (via E! News). “Yes, he has Parkinson’s, and yes, his mobility is completely different than it used to be, but he’s not dying. What is wrong with you?”
Kelly also spoke out about rumors that her parents had a “suicide pact,” in an effort to debunk the ongoing chatter. “Stop making articles or posts about how you think my parents are having a suicide pact,” she said. “That was bulls*** my mom said to get attention one time. And my dad’s not dying. Stop.”