Ozzy Osbourne family to return to TV-- reloaded

Sharon (L), Kelly (C) and Ozzy Osbourne arrive at the Brit Awards at Earls Court in London February 20, 2008.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Reach for the bleeper! The Osbournes are headed back for television.

The family of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who shocked and delighted audiences for four years on their Emmy-award winning MTV reality show "The Osbournes", are up to no good again in a variety-style show featuring skits, impersonations, audience games -- and a liberal sprinkling of four-letter words.

There are even a pair of "mini-Osbournes" -- (British) child actors who dress, behave and talk as outrageously as Ozzy and wife Sharon themselves.

"We are letting them go as far as they can. They are raunchy and funny and also a warm, real family." Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment on the Fox network told reporters on Tuesday.

"It is family viewing. We might have a few old age pensioners being kissed, and stripping grandmas, but it is all good clean fun. There is nothing mean spirited about it." Darnell said.

"Osbournes Reloaded" features Sharon, Ozzy and children Jack and Kelly in candid-camera style skits, occasional pie-throwing, the odd performance by Ozzy, and appearances by the likes of Pamela Anderson.

The show is due to air on Fox later this Spring, an exact date has not been set. And so far, not even the family can quite agree on what type of program it will be.

"The word 'variety' frightens us. No disrespect to other variety shows of the past. It's just not what we do. We're not going to be Sonny and Cher-ing it," Kelly Osbourne said.

Only six episodes have been shot. Producers said they would wait and see how the show was received before making any more. Or as Kelly Osbourne put it -- "We're in a recession."

Asked why he had agreed to do the new show, Ozzy answered; "I'm willing to try anything once...We are a very dysfunctional family, doing a very dysfunctional show."

As for how he had changed since doing "The Osbournes" ended in 2006, he replied: "I put a new suit on this morning"