Given he was part of one of heavy metal’s biggest bands, it’s no surprise that Ozzy Osbourne would be the inspiration for many music stars.

But the rocker himself had previously shared a more unlikely name as one of his idols, in the form of iconic Beatles hitmaker Sir Paul McCartney.

The two first crossed paths and took a photo together in 2001, later joining an array of stars on stage at The Queen’s Golden Jubilee concert in the subsequent year.

Ozzy, who passed away on Tuesday at 76, revealed that The Beatles were his motivation for starting a music career. As recently as last month, he mentioned that collaborating with Paul, 83, would be a ‘dream’ come true for him.

Despite having very different musical styles, Ozzy credited The Beatles’ music as pivotal in helping him decide ‘what he wanted to do with his life.’

Speaking in an interview for Homes for Children’s End The Silence charity campaign in 2017, Ozzy said the moment came while listening to The Beatles’ 1962 hit She Loves You.

Ozzy Osbourne credited Sir Paul McCartney as one of his biggest inspirations, with the Beatles hitmaker remaining a recurring figure in his life until his death

The pair met for the first time in 2001, with Ozzy rushing to embrace him before admitting it was a ‘lifetime ambition’ to meet him

He said: ‘I remember exactly where I was walking down a road called Whitten Road in Aston. I had a blue transistor radio, and when [She Loves You] came on, I knew from then on what I wanted to do in my life.’

Ozzy also covered The Beatles’ 1965 track In My Life in his 2005 album Prince Of Darkness.

He and Paul finally met for the first time in 2001 while backstage at the Howard Stern show, with Ozzy rushing to embrace him before admitting it was a ‘lifetime ambition’ to meet him.

The moment was captured in Paul’s documentary The Love We Make, which depicted his journey through a recovering New York in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

In a clip from the sweet moment, Ozzy told Paul: ‘It’s great to meet you man, it’s been a lifetime ambition of mine, you guys made me start music.’

Ozzy later recalled the meeting on The Osbournes podcast, where he said: ‘I’m a big Beatles fan and when I first met Paul McCartney, it was like meeting Jesus Christ. And he was a very nice man, a very nice man.’

The pair then met again in 2008 when Ozzy and Sharon hosted the Brit Awards, together and Paul performed during the ceremony, and he described it as ‘the most special’ experience.

Ozzy later revealed a kind gesture from Paul when he won a Grammy award, sharing the ‘very, very special’ moment he followed him up on stage to congratulate him.

Despite their vastly different music styles, Ozzy said that hearing one of The Beatles’ songs that helped him decide ‘what he wanted to do with his life’ (band is pictured in 1963)

The pair rarely crossed paths, posing for a photo together once in 2001, and joining a slew of stars on-stage for The Queen’s Golden Jubilee concert the following year

As recently as last month, Ozzy had shared his hopes of collaborating with Sir Paul McCartney on a track.

He previously tried to get Paul to record a bass part on the heavy metal band’s track, which he declined. 

Appearing on his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks, the singer revealed he still dreamt about being on a song with the Let It Be hitmaker.

When asked by co-host Billy Morrison who he’d like to duet with, to which he replied: ‘Paul McCartney.’

But Ozzy quickly added: ‘I would be honoured but I couldn’t…’

The singer has previously spoken about the iconic band from Liverpool being a huge influence on him since he was a young man.

He once told Heat magazine of their failed collaboration: ‘Meeting Paul McCartney was f****** phenomenal.

‘I was in the studio at the same time as him and tried to get him to play bass on one of my songs. 

‘But he said he couldn’t improve on the bassline that was there. I said, ‘Are you kidding? You could p*** on the record and I’d make it my life.”

When asked about his funeral song, Ozzy insisted he would want a Beatles number being played rather than any of his own music on the day.

‘I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band or Revolver,’ he told NME in 2016.

‘I definitely don’t want my f**king greatest hits album – I never ever play that thing, I’m f**king embarrassed about it. And I definitely don’t want a f**king happy song – I’m dead.’

Ozzy, nicknamed the Prince of Darkness, died on Tuesday at the age of 76 just weeks after he took to the stage for his final show with Black Sabbath, with his family confirming the devastating news. 

Ozzy died on Tuesday just weeks after he took to the stage for his final show with Black Sabbath(pictured), with his family sharing the news in an emotional statement

MailOnline revealed yesterday that an air ambulance was called to Osbourne’s grand country home as paramedics battled to save his life for two hours.

Friends told the Mail’s Alison Boshoff that his heartbroken wife Sharon may now bury Ozzy in the gardens of the 350-acre estate in an intimate family funeral, as she is ‘too frail’ to go through a larger, public service, leaving friends ‘terrified’ for her.

Ozzy took to the stage for his farewell concert at Villa Park Stadium in his native Birmingham less than three weeks before his death. 

The rocker reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time since 2005 to bid an emotional farewell to his decades of performing live on stage. 

After selling out in minutes, over 42,000 fans packed into Villa Park for the aptly-titled Back to the Beginning show, which saw Ozzy and Black Sabbath return to their hometown – 56 years after they formed there. 

The final photograph of him before his death was taken on stage as he sat on a black throne aptly decorated with a bat to perform his best-known hits for his loyal fans.

His final words on stage were: ‘It’s the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’ 

A message on screen then read: ‘Thank you for everything, you guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever,’ before the sky lit up with fireworks.