Who is Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife? What we know about Thelma Riley amid singer’s passing

2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony - Inside - Source: Getty
Ozzy Osbourne at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony. (Image via Getty)

English singer, songwriter, and media personality Ozzy Osbourne passed away in Birmingham, England, on July 22, 2025, aged 76. His family confirmed the news via a statement to the press.

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"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love," the statement obtained by BBC read.

The cause of death was not specified. However, according to BBC, the “Prince of Darkness” had a series of health issues over the years, including being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in February 2019. The diagnosis was later publicly revealed by him in January 2020. Osbourne also had a history of respiratory problems and emphysema.

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For the unaware, Ozzy Osbourne was married twice. His first wife was Thelma Riley, and his second wife was Sharon Arden.

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Osbourne’s death comes three weeks after his farewell live concert called “Back to the Beginning,” which he performed in his hometown, Birmingham, on July 5, 2025. Rock bands including Metallica and Guns ‘n’ Roses supported him on stage.


All you need to know about Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife, Thelma Riley

According to People Magazine, Ozzy Osbourne met his first wife, Thelma Riley, in 1971 at a Birmingham nightclub called The Rum Runner, where she worked part-time, while pursuing teaching as a career. Meanwhile, Ozzy was still trying to make a name for himself as part of the Black Sabbath band.

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Osbourne and Riley tied the knot in July 1971. He also adopted her five-year-old son Elliot Kingsley from a past relationship. In 1972, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Jessica, followed by son Louis in 1975. Their marriage ended in 1982, the year Ozzy tied the knot with his second wife, Sharon Levy Arden.

The musician called his first marriage “a terrible mistake” in his 2019 autobiography, I Am Ozzy, adding that his substance and alcohol abuse and frequent tours with Black Sabbath hurt his personal life.

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“I must have been a horrendous step-dad. And if I loved Thelma, I certainly didn’t treat her like I did. If I’ve got any regrets about my life, that’s one of them… She didn’t deserve it: she wasn’t a bad person, and she wasn’t a bad wife,” Osbourne wrote.
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Subsequently, in a 2011 documentary titled God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, the singer acknowledged that he didn’t remember the birthdays of Jessica and Louis, while they said their father was both physically and emotionally absent. His son from second marriage, Jack, produced the documentary at the time.

According to suggest.com, Thelma Riley now goes by Thelma Mayfair and is reportedly a teacher in Leicestershire, England. It is noteworthy that Ozzy Osbourne met his second wife in 1970 and began dating her in 1979 before his divorce from Thelma Riley was finalized. Back then, Sharon Levy Arden’s father, Don, was Black Sabbath’s manager, and she worked as a receptionist for him.

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Later, after Osbourne left the band and embarked on a solo career, Sharon became his manager and the duo fell in love and got married in July 1982 in Maui, Hawaii. They had three children, daughters Aimee (born in 1983) and Kelly (born in 1984), and son Jack (born in 1985).

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In 2016, Ozzy and Sharon briefly parted ways after reports emerged that he had been involved in a four-year-long affair with his hair stylist Michelle Pugh, per People Magazine.

At the time, he also attended rehab for s*x addiction. However, later that year, the couple reunited and renewed their wedding vows in May 2017. Notably, in 1989, the rocker was arrested for attempted murder after attacking Sharon and spent six months in medical detention, as reported by The Guardian.

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In the MTV reality show, The Osbournes, Ozzy’s son, including Louis, made a few cameos in the first season. The program also mentioned Jessica, Elliot, and Aimee.


Ozzy Osbourne is survived by his second wife, six children, and several grandchildren.

Edited by DEEPALI
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