Sharon Osbourne is to go head-to-head with Queen Elizabeth II when she delivers an alternative festive season message on television on Christmas Day.
Commercial station Channel 4 will broadcast an address from the wife of rock star Ozzy Osbourne at 3 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Dec. 25 – exactly the same time the queen is scheduled to give her traditional message on the BritishBroadcasting Corp.
The 50-year-old Osbourne, who is fighting colon cancer, has become renowned through a fly-on-the-wall television show about her family for holding her hapless husband’s career and personal life together.
She accompanied him to Buckingham Palace this summer when Ozzy performed at a concert for the queen’s celebrations of 50 years on the throne, and both met the monarch.
Sharon Osbourne follows in the footsteps of people including the late actor Quentin Crisp and British comedian Ali G in delivering the alternative address.
“Sharon Osbourne connects with our viewers in a way that the queen can’t. She is a real person who leads an extraordinary life,” a Channel 4 spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity.
