Ozzy Osbourne has been confirmed as the first headliner for Download Festival 2018.

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne

The Black Sabbath frontman - who goes by the nickname The Prince of Darkness - will take to the stage without his bandmates at the annual heavy metal extravaganza held at Donington Park from June 8 to June 10, 2018, in Leicestershire, England.

Last year, the 'War Pigs' group - also comprised of Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi - played one of their final shows at the festival, and the 68-year-old rocker but the 68-year-old rocker is showing no signs of wanting to retire anytime soon as he is set to carry on with his solo career.

Download promoter Andy Copping said: "We're unbelievably excited to have Ozzy as one of the headliners next year. Already hailing from the midlands, Ozzy Osbourne is no stranger to Download, and after Black Sabbath closed the festival in 2016, how could I not ask The Prince Of Darkness to come back all on his own? The Download family are without a shadow of a doubt, in for a treat."

The performance follows Ozzy's final performance with the band in their hometown at Birmingham's Genting Arena in February.

The 'Paranoid' singer previously insisted he won't be quitting music, as he fears if he gives up he could drop dead.

After the band ended, he said: "They've retired but I haven't. It's like I'm jumping off one boat on to another.

"People forget, I was with Sabbath from 68 to 79, but I've been on my own from 79 until now.

"I've been on my own thing for a lot longer than when I was with Sabbath. I love what Sabbath did for me and I love what I did for Sabbath, but it's not the be-all, end-all of my own whole career.

"People around my age go, 'I'm 65 now. I'm retired.' Then they f***ing die. My father got a bit of cash from the job he had, did the garden and died.

And I'm going, 'That's a bit of an anticlimax after working so many years in a factory.'

"I ain't retiring. People still want to see me, so what's there to retire from?"

Further acts are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Tagged in