Kelly Osbourne has spoken out after her brother, Jack Osbourne, made an emotional confession in the I’m A Celebrity jungle about just how difficult life became during the peak of their family’s MTV fame. Jack opened up to campmates including Ruby Wax, revealing that The Osbournes—a series celebrated for pioneering the modern era of reality TV—came with a level of chaos and scrutiny none of them were fully prepared for.

Jack shared that the show was initially intended to run for only three years, but overwhelming popularity led MTV to extend filming for an additional four seasons, prolonging the intense public gaze on every moment of their family life (Rolling Stone). According to Jack, the unexpectedly long run plunged the family into a spotlight far brighter and more invasive than they ever imagined.

Jack Osbourne Says He Struggled With the Fame and Freedom the Show Brought

Speaking candidly in camp, Jack explained that while the cameras themselves never bothered him, it was the aftermath—the relentless attention—that took a toll. “A huge amount of attention. I was always pretty shy and pretty private,” he admitted. He described the experience as “odd,” explaining that the lack of structure in his teenage years, combined with sudden wealth and freedom, created a dangerous environment.

“When you give a 16-year-old kid a [bleep] tonne of money and not a lot of rules in LA, you’re like, ‘Let’s go play’,” he told Ruby Wax, Martin Kemp, Angry Ginge, and Alex Scott. Jack openly described falling into addiction, saying he became dependent on “a lot of pills, a lot of alcohol, a lot of weed.”

He shared that he eventually entered an adolescent treatment centre in California at age 17, where he got sober—and has proudly “never relapsed” since. His openness mirrors previous interviews, including one with The Guardian, where he discussed how addiction shaped his young adulthood and the pressures of being thrust into global fame (The Guardian).

Kelly Osbourne Reacts With Pride: “I Love Him So Much”

Although Kelly now lives a quieter life on a farm in Iowa with her fiancé Sid Wilson and their son, she has been keeping up with Jack’s journey in the jungle. After seeing the clip of her brother speaking about their early fame, she posted it on Instagram with the heartfelt caption: “I am beyond proud of my brother! I love him so much!”

Kelly and Jack were barely more than kids when The Osbournes first aired in 2002—Kelly was 17 and Jack was 16—while their older sister Aimee famously chose not to participate in the show (BBC News). The MTV series ran until 2006 and became notorious for its chaotic, uncensored look into their celebrity family life, setting the template for countless reality shows that followed.

Ruby Wax Praises Jack’s Honesty and Growth

Ruby Wax reflected on the impact of the show while speaking in the Bush Telegraph, noting that The Osbournes offered one of the first true glimpses into a celebrity family’s day-to-day life. “It was just the most exciting TV you ever saw,” she said, echoing sentiments shared in retrospective analyses by outlets like Variety, which credit the series with redefining the genre (Variety).

Ruby also praised Jack for being so open about his addiction, saying: “I can’t put together the kid on that show and what we are seeing now. He seems a really mature kind of straight guy. You’ve got to be affected by that kind of fame.”

Jack’s reflections come just days after he opened up in camp about his father, Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away in July—another emotional moment that moved viewers and campmates alike.

Where Jack Osbourne Lives Today

Today, Jack has rebuilt a quieter, more grounded life. He lives with his second wife, Aree Gearhart, and between them they share one child, while Jack has three additional children with his ex-wife, Lisa Stelly.

He now resides on Welder’s Ranch in Idaho, a sprawling 133-acre property that offers a peaceful contrast to his former Hollywood lifestyle. According to People, Jack has leaned into a more rural, outdoors-oriented life in recent years, focusing on his family, nature, and personal well-being (People).

His impressive campfire skills in I’m A Celebrity suddenly make perfect sense—life on a ranch seems to have prepared him well for jungle living.