Jack Osbourne shares rare update on MS battle after 14 years: ‘Don’t feel so good’

Jack Osbourne admitted he’s been experiencing “some symptoms” in his ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis (MS), but acknowledged others have it “worse”.

Osbourne, 40, the youngest child of late singer Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon Osbourne, opened up about his chronic illness during Tuesday’s episode of the MeSsy podcast with hosts Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

In a rare update, the father-of-five revealed he’s “been having some symptoms” for about six months now.

“I have a lot to be grateful for even though things don’t feel so good right now,” he said.

Osbourne was diagnosed with MS in 2012 at age 26, right after the birth of his first child, and after he had been sober since age 17.

The star is currently not on any medication to treat his MS after unintentionally weaning off it during his 2019 divorce with ex Lisa Stelly when his medical insurance became invalid.

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Osbourne told listeners he would still check in with his doctor and undergo MRIs.

“But nothing too crazy, well, sort of crazy, I feel like I have road rash all over my body from my chest down to my knees so it’s very uncomfortable to wear clothes,” he revealed.

Osbourne was asked if, being in the spotlight, he felt a sense of responsibility in the MS community.

“If I’m being honest, a part of me feels like a bit of a fraud in a sense,” he admitted.

“I’ve been diagnosed 14 years now, and I see people who were diagnosed a year ago, and they’re in a much worse position.

“They’re having a much harder time, and I’m kind of like, it does affect me [but] it hasn’t stopped me, and it hasn’t slowed me down.”

Elsewhere in the podcast, Osbourne was asked if he ever felt like his identity was connected to his diagnosis.

The star acknowledged there was a time he “hated” people feeling sorry for him.

“It’s like don’t f--king give me your pity. Sure, maybe there are moments where I need a bit of a hug,”

“But I didn’t like that feeling, and I didn’t like someone telling me I was a disease.”

He said navigating the disease was a “tough balance” because he does want to help the MS community, and he is a member of “a community that does struggle”.

“I just got so frustrated with aspects of what that meant by being a kind of big flag wavier in that sphere.

Host Applegate, who was recently misdiagnosed with MS since 2021, could find the humour in his admission.

“Talk about being a fraud, I don’t even have it any more,” she quipped, making Sigler and Osbourne burst into laughter.

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