Sharon Osbourne Explains Her Longstanding Grudge Against Jake E. Lee: “There Are Some Things You Just Don’t Forgive”
In a recent candid interview, Sharon Osbourne, the outspoken wife and longtime manager of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, opened up about her often-rumored feud with guitarist Jake E. Lee — and she didn’t hold back. While many fans have long speculated about the tensions between Sharon and the former Ozzy Osbourne Band guitarist, this marks the first time she has addressed the matter so directly.
Jake E. Lee, known for his razor-sharp guitar work on classic Ozzy albums like Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986), has always held a strange place in the Osbourne legacy: pivotal yet distant. Now, Sharon is shedding light on why she’s kept him at arm’s length all these years.
“It Wasn’t Just Business — It Was Betrayal”
“There’s this fantasy that I just wake up and randomly decide who I like and who I don’t,” Sharon began. “But with Jake, it’s not random. It’s not petty. It’s personal.”
According to Sharon, the heart of the conflict dates back to the mid-1980s, when Jake E. Lee was unexpectedly fired from Ozzy’s band following the tour for The Ultimate Sin. Many fans blamed Sharon for the dismissal, but she suggests the situation was more complicated — and more hurtful.
“Jake was incredibly talented, but difficult,” she said. “He thought he was above the people around him. He didn’t want to collaborate; he wanted to control. And that’s not how we work. Ozzy is the artist, and the team around him has to respect that.”
Sharon went further, suggesting that Lee had attempted to manipulate the business side of things — trying to renegotiate contracts and assert creative control beyond his role. “There were power plays, legal threats, disrespect toward Ozzy — and even things said behind closed doors that I won’t repeat,” she said. “That’s not something you forget.”
“He Got Credit. He Got Paid. But That Wasn’t Enough.”
Much of the fan outcry over Lee’s firing came from the perception that he wasn’t properly credited or compensated for his contributions. But Sharon disputes that.
“He got his credit. He got paid. He co-wrote songs that are still played to this day. But Jake wanted more. He wanted to own the whole circus, not just play in the band,” she said.
She also claimed that Lee’s narrative about being blindsided by his firing is misleading. “Jake knew it was coming,” she insisted. “We had meetings. We asked him to work with us, not against us. He made his choice.”
No Room for Reunion
Despite growing nostalgia for the golden days of Ozzy’s solo career — and even some fans hoping for a reunion between Ozzy and Jake E. Lee in the wake of Ozzy’s recent retirement — Sharon made it clear that won’t be happening.
“There are some things you just don’t forgive,” she said flatly. “I’ve made peace with a lot of people over the years, but not everyone deserves a seat back at the table. Jake burned that bridge a long time ago.”
Jake’s Side of the Story
Lee himself has spoken out over the years, often describing the experience as unfair. In past interviews, he claimed that Sharon dismissed him without warning and refused to sign a contract that would’ve secured royalties. He’s also criticized the tight control the Osbourne camp exerted over the creative direction of the band.
Still, he has expressed admiration for Ozzy as a performer and has largely avoided personal attacks — even when fans tried to stoke the fire.
“I’m not bitter, just disappointed in how it all ended,” Lee said in a 2020 interview. “But I’m proud of the work we did.”
A Legacy Marked by Division
The tension between Sharon and Jake E. Lee is just one of many fractures in the complex legacy of Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career. While other ex-guitarists like Zakk Wylde and even Randy Rhoads (before his tragic death) enjoyed relatively smooth relationships with the Osbourne family, Lee’s place remains contentious.
To fans, it’s a loss — a missed opportunity for reconciliation and perhaps one final musical collaboration. But for Sharon, it’s a closed chapter.
“I’ve spent my life fighting to protect Ozzy,” she concluded. “From himself, from the industry, from people who think they can use him. Jake was one of those people. And that’s why I’m still against him. Always will be.”
As the Osbourne legacy continues to be celebrated through documentaries, honors, and fan retrospectives, the name Jake E. Lee will remain a complicated footnote — brilliant on the guitar, unforgettable on stage, but never quite in the family.
