THE BEAST

Ozzy Osbourne has opened up about his sex addiction , nearly a year after he said he was suffering from the disorder when a long-term affair was made public.

Ozzy last August apologized to the women with whom he has had extramarital sexual relationships and admitted to undergoing therapy for sex addiction. Ozzy's statement came out in the wake of the first interview given by Michelle Pugh, the celebrity hairstylist whose four-year affair with the BLACK SABBATH singer was discovered by Sharon and nearly ended their 33-year marriage.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, Ozzy stated about his relationship with Pugh: "She was a hairdresser who was coming round to the house. I honestly don't know how it started, but then it picked up momentum and I thought, 'If I stop, she's going to go to the press.' By giving in to temptation, you put your head in the lion's mouth, but then it closes, and no matter which way you go, you've done wrong."

Sharon, for her part, told the magazine that she never seriously suspected that her husband was having an affair with his hairdresser. "I knew that she was overly flirty with Ozzy — you know when people over-laugh at things you say? — but to be truthful with you, I thought, 'He would never go with that, ever," Sharon said. "[I thought] 'She's just an old rock chick. Never in a million years.'"

Sharon added that she found out about Ozzy's affair "when the press called. That was the first I knew of it."

Once the cat was out of the bag about his infidelity, Ozzy "was scared to death," he admitted to Hello! "My first wife divorced me because of my playing around. It's by far the worst addiction that I have. When I was drinking or doing drugs, I was affecting myself physically, but with the sex addiction, it affects everybody. It made me realize what a complete idiot I was.

"I sat down and I thought, 'What the hell have I done?'" he continued. "I can't imagine life without Sharon. She's my soulmate. I love her. I can honestly say that I've never loved any other woman besides Sharon. I've got a crazy-assed way of showing it, but she's the love of my life."

When asked by Hello! how he got things "back on track" with Sharon, Ozzy said: "To be honest with you, it's only been recently that Sharon's been properly with me. I've damaged our relationship. But I promised her that I would stick with my sex addiction therapy. I don't want to be that person anymore. I've been doing my utmost to make amends to Sharon and to all of the family."

Ozzy is still undergoing therapy for his sex addiction and he is determined to stay the course of recovery.

"If you stop going, the little monster in your head opens one eye and it's scary," he told Hello! "You don't know your own mind. I don't like that side of myself; I hate that guy. I'm fed up of being an addict — and it's not just sex; it can be drugs, alcohol, collecting stamps, anything. There's no in between with me and it's really hard work. And the business that I'm in… it's like sitting in a cake shop when you're on a diet. I even do the sex therapy sessions on Skype now when I'm on the road."

Ozzy reportedly pursued Pugh for a year after she first colored his hair in late 2011.

Earlier this year, Ozzy told The Times that he didn't think he was a sex addict, explaining that he was just acting like a typical rock star.

"I'm in a fucking band, aren't I?" he said. "There have always been groupies. I just got caught, didn't I?

Ozzy and Sharon renewed their 35-year-old wedding vows on May 14, a date which also coincided with Mother's Day in America.

They first said "I do" on July 4, 1982.

Sharon continued to manage Ozzy's career throughout their marital crisis.

The singer recently completed a year-long farewell tour with BLACK SABBATH and is preparing to hit the road with his solo band.

There's still time to pick up this week's HELLO!. Find out how Kate helped Pippa's perfect wedding plus all the lavish details. pic.twitter.com/VLeq9cEsfC

— HELLO! (@hellomag) June 4, 2017