Bill Ward has disclosed that he now travels primarily by wheelchair in airports and public venues, sharing a candid health update with fans nearly one year after the death of his longtime Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne.
The 78-year-old Black Sabbath drummer shared a photo of himself seated in a wheelchair and addressed the subject directly in a social media statement: “Dear Friends, Fans, Families, and people I’ve not met yet, I’m announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I’ve reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events. I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down. We started using the wheelchair about 18 months ago, mostly in airports.”
“I became 78 years old on May 5th 2026. I was a long distance walker, I’ve walked in many different parts of the world, and I’m still a drummer. I can still play pretty good for 78 years old. My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now. I’m just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I’m just catching a ride, I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs.”
“I’m making myself public and transparent about my new transport, and letting you know I’m OK. If you see me in the airports or visiting friends in the music arenas or theatres say hi, I don’t bite, I’ll just look different, as pictured here.”
“Much love to you all and I’ll keep rocking until I’m dead. Rock forever and ever. And the secrets we hide, can be dangerous to our health, I’m letting transparency prevail, with love and progression.”
The original lineup of Black Sabbath — Ward, Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler — played its final concert last summer. Dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” the charity show was held at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5, 2025. After Osbourne’s death, Ward shared an emotional tribute in which he said the legendary heavy metal singer is “forever in my heart.” “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart,” Ward wrote. “Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP. Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever.”
Accountable Beasts, Ward’s first solo album in 18 years, was released in 2015 via iTunes. The record featured Ward’s drumming on seven of its nine tracks, alongside contributions from longtime collaborators Keith Lynch (guitar, keyboards), Paul Ill (bass) and Ronnie Ciago (drums), plus drummer Walter Earl and an array of session singers, including Ward’s daughter Emily.
In May 2012, Ward announced he was declining to join his former Sabbath bandmates for scheduled recording and touring commitments, citing a contractual dispute. Producer Rick Rubin suggested Ginger Baker (Cream) as a replacement for the LP recording sessions — a suggestion Iommi shot down immediately — before ultimately enlisting Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine. Ozzy later said Ward “needed to own up” that he did not have the physical capacity to pull off the tour, adding that the band had explored the option of bringing a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward — a scenario Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about the band’s Ten Year War box set.
