The Sunday Mirror’s exclusive interview with rocker Ozzy Osbourne prompted requests for second publication rights from around the world.
The 4 January scoop was reprinted in Australia, Germany and France and featured extensively in Hello! Osbourne is currently recovering after spending a week in a coma after a quad-biking accident in December.
The Sunday Mirror secured the first in-depth interview and pictures following his brush with death by making “substantial” donations to two charities chosen by the former Black Sabbath singer.
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Reporters Maggie O’Riordan and Mike Hamilton spent two days at Osbourne’s Buckinghamshire estate as he saw in the new year.
Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver estimated that the story boosted sales by 40,000. She said the exclusive was brought in by perseverance and said: “The team did very well and it was refreshing that Ozzy wasn’t after the money for himself, but wanted something for charity.”
Osbourne’s characteristic parting shot to the two Sunday Mirror reporters was: “Thank fuck for that, I thought you’d fucking moved in.”
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By Dominic Ponsford
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