Ozzy’s genetic code to be mapped

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 05: Musician Ozzy Osbourne speaks onstage during Spike TV's 4th Annual 'Guys Choice Awards' held at Sony Studios on June 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. 'Guys Choice' premieres June 20, 2010 at 10PM ET/PT on Spike. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The mystery of how rock legend Ozzy Osbourne survived decades of drink and drug abuse could be finally solved – by mapping his genetic code.

The hard-living Black Sabbath singer, 61, has excited scientists by agreeing to become one of the first humans to have the £27,000 hi-tech test.

They hope it will reveal why he got away with antics that would kill most people. In addition to punishing his body with booze and drug binges, Ozzy SNORTED a line of ants, bit the head off a bat and a dove and broke his neck in a quad-bike accident which we all remember from TV show The Osbournes.

The wildman says he had also “chased people with shotguns and driven Range Rovers over viaducts and come out without a scratch”.

At the peak of his alcoholism in 1989 he even tried to strangle his wife, former X Factor judge Sharon.

Despite his excesses, they have been married 30 years and have three grown-up kids. Ozzy claims he no longer smokes or drinks.

Nathan Pearson, of US company Knome, which will map Ozzy’s genome using a blood sample, said: “Analysing individuals with extreme medical histories has great potential scientific value.”