What to Know About Michelle Pugh, Who Had an Affair with Ozzy Osbourne
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Michelle Pugh and Ozzy Osbourne. Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock; Mike Windle/WireImage
Hairstylist Michelle Pugh claimed her affair with Ozzy Osbourne lasted from 2012 to 2016
By Samantha Stutsman
Published on July 24, 2025 05:08PM EDT
Ozzy Osbourne’s affair with hairstylist Michelle Pugh came to light in 2016. The Black Sabbath frontman, who recently died on July 22 at 76, briefly split from his wife of 33 years, Sharon Osbourne, in May 2016. The couple, who share three children, reconciled two months later — shortly before Pugh spoke to PEOPLE about the infidelity.
Pugh claimed that their affair began in 2012, a year after she first colored Ozzy’s hair. She said he was “unhappy” in his marriage and “consistently and willingly and generously” gave her “his love.” “What attracted me to him? Chemistry,” Pugh told PEOPLE in August 2016. “We just had it. It’s that indescribable thing in life, and you can’t deny it. And he didn’t.” While speaking to Good Morning America the month prior, Ozzy insisted his relationship with Pugh was purely physical and resulted from his sex addiction.
Here’s everything to know about Michelle Pugh and her former relationship with Ozzy Osbourne.
She is a hairstylist
Pugh is a hairstylist and colorist who once worked at Mèche, a high-end salon in Beverly Hills, Calif. Over the years, Pugh’s clientele included big names like Ozzy, Jennifer Lopez, Camila Alves, Sarah Paulson and Molly Sims.
She claimed she and Ozzy had a four-year affair
In August 2016, Pugh alleged to PEOPLE that she and Ozzy had a four-year affair, which began in 2012. “I can’t deny that I fell in love with a married man that pursued me, but this narrative that is out there that I am some groupie that went after him because of money — it’s just simply not true,” she said. “That is not the situation.”
Pugh said her connection with Ozzy wasn’t just physical — they also bonded emotionally, often engaging in deep conversations about their “shared passions” like painting and history. She went on to admit that it wasn’t easy moving on from “sweet, funny John from England.” “I wake from my dreams, which some nights he’s in, and for a minute when I wake, I’m peaceful,” she continued. “Then the absence sets in. It’s horrible.”
Pugh said Ozzy was the “greatest love” of her life
During her interview with PEOPLE, Pugh shared that Ozzy was the “greatest love of my life.” “He made me feel like the most beautiful and worshipped woman in the world,” she said. Despite their split in 2016, Pugh expressed no resentment toward Ozzy or his choice to reconcile with his wife, Sharon.
“She is a grown man. He is capable of making the decision to be with me. If he has chosen to not be, that is fine. I accept it and move on,” she said. “But he has been my best friend for the last few years, so of course I am grieving the loss for that.” “I still love him,” Pugh continued. “And I would never exploit the truly personal and private parts of what we had. That’s not me. I’m going to stand tall and proud and say, ‘This is me. I’m not ashamed.’ I fell in love with a man that gave me the love I never knew I could receive.”
She sued Kelly Osbourne for defamation in 2016
Although Ozzy and Sharon reconciled after two months of separation in 2016, Pugh told PEOPLE that the backlash against her didn’t end. She claimed she was chased by cars and followed to work by tabloid reporters. Pugh also alleged that Ozzy’s daughter, Kelly, contributed to the public harassment by sharing her personal phone number and accusing her of “elder abuse” in a now-deleted post on X.
Pugh filed a lawsuit against Kelly for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and public disclosure of private facts. The suit was settled privately a few weeks later.
Ozzy said he regretted cheating on Sharon
In a November 2020 interview with British GQ, Ozzy opened up about his infidelity and shared how deeply he regretted hurting Sharon. “I’ve done some pretty outrageous things in my life. I regret cheating on my wife. I got my reality check, and I’m lucky she didn’t leave me. I’m not proud of that. I was pissed off with myself. But I broke her heart.”
Therapy and religion helped Pugh heal from the scandal
The last time Pugh spoke publicly about her life was in a since-deleted 2019 Instagram post. “The last 3 years have been one disaster after another, one heartbreak after another and one lesson after another,” she wrote. “I found my way out of the darkness through therapy and the Catholic Church.” She expressed self-love and readiness for the next chapter of her life.
In conclusion, the story of Michelle Pugh and her affair with Ozzy Osbourne is a complex and emotional journey that highlights the impact of relationships on individuals’ lives. The aftermath of the affair and the legal battle that ensued shed light on the challenges faced by those involved in high-profile scandals. It serves as a reminder of the importance of self-care and healing in the face of public scrutiny.