Bill Ward's emotional return to Black Sabbath at Birmingham's Villa Park reminded fans of the band's rich history and the enduring bonds forged through music.

As Ward issues a heartfelt thank you to his bandmates and fans, Sabbath’s guitarist admits he likened the drummer’s appearance when topless to an emaciated hobbit

Following the show, Ward took to social media to thank fans and reflect on the experience, saying it meant everything to him to be part of the final chapter. His heartfelt words and return to the stage gave Black Sabbath the most fitting sendoff imaginable – with all four founding members standing together one last time.

Ward has an on-and-off history with Black Sabbath and was the only original band member who did not play on their final album, 13, which was released in June 2013. The album, which was the English rock band’s first studio release in 18 years, featured Osbourne, Iommi, and Butler with drummer Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine.

Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward will take one final, long-deserved bow with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne at the Back To The Beginning concert, taking place July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham.

Black Sabbath retired following an extensive farewell tour from 2016 to 2017. The shows featured three of the band’s four founding members – singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler – but not original drummer Bill Ward, who pulled out of the band several years earlier due to a contract dispute.

As some of the other guys in Sabbath had said in the past though, the “final reunion” that took place without Ward behind the kit felt “unfinished”. It wasn’t the same. Thus, he was brought back on for the band’s very last curtain call for one of the most emotional events in heavy metal history.