Ward refused to be part of the get together, citing contract issues, and he was replaced on Black Sabbath's reunion album, 2013, and tour.

He has since become embroiled in a war of words with Ozzy, who claimed his drummer would not have been fit enough for the reunion.

Ward addressed his former bandmate's remarks earlier this year (15) in an open letter, demanding Ozzy should right wrongs and apologise for what he said. The singer has refused, and now the drummer, who reunited with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler at the Ivor Novello Awards in London on Thursday (21May15), fears the stand-off will continue for the duration of the Black Sabbath reunion, which will stretch into next year (16) and may include one final album.

Ward tells NME.com, "I'm in a huge dispute with Ozzy, so that doesn't really help, and, as far as I'm concerned, until that dispute is finished, then I'm not gonna participate.

"They've already made an album without me, so I'm sure they'd go on without me playing, and that's OK with me; I still love them just the same. I'd love to think I could (rejoin the band), but the things I'm asking for may be out of reach."