After spending many years at the forefront of global music, Phil Collins now faces a quieter and more demanding period marked by health struggles, introspection, and appreciation, and as he speaks openly about his situation, the musician provides a sincere perspective on endurance, responsibility, and the significance of a life molded by artistic expression.
Phil Collins, widely regarded as one of the United Kingdom’s most influential musical figures, has candidly discussed the intricate health challenges that have shaped his recent years. As he nears his 75th birthday, the former Genesis frontman reflected on a time when several medical complications overlapped, significantly reshaping his everyday routines. His comments, shared during a conversation with British broadcaster Zoe Ball for the BBC podcast series Eras, highlight both the physical strain of these difficulties and the emotional perspective gained in their aftermath.
Collins indicated that his condition now demands ongoing professional care, supported by a nurse who lives with him and provides assistance at all hours. This degree of supervision, he said, helps ensure that his medications are taken properly and that his mobility issues are handled safely. Although he can still walk, he does so with help, a circumstance shaped by years of knee troubles and multiple surgeries. Collins stated that he has had five procedures on his knee alone, each one gradually adding to the limitations he faces today.
A convergence of medical challenges
The musician characterized the past few years as a period in which multiple health complications emerged one after another, accelerating in severity. What initially appeared to be orthopedic troubles eventually developed into broader systemic issues. While in the hospital, Collins contracted Covid-19, an illness that placed additional stress on his already weakened condition. Around the same time, he also faced kidney difficulties that demanded prolonged medical care.
Reflecting on these complications, Collins acknowledged lifestyle factors that may have contributed to his condition. He spoke frankly about alcohol consumption, explaining that while he was never one for excessive late-night drinking, his daytime habits eventually took their toll. Over time, he said, these choices caught up with him, leading to months spent in hospital and a prolonged recovery process.
Despite the gravity of these experiences, Collins did not frame them with drama or self-pity. Instead, he described them as a series of events that accumulated over time, underscoring how the physical demands of a long career, combined with personal habits, can have lasting consequences. His account offered a rare, unfiltered perspective from an artist whose public image has often been associated with stamina, precision, and control.
The bodily toll of spending a lifetime immersed in music
Long before these most recent hospital stays, Collins had already been contending with ailments tied to decades of performing, and the physical demands of his long career continued to take their toll. Celebrated as a singer and songwriter as well as an adept drummer, he spent years exposed to the intense strain caused by constant repetition and rigorous touring. A 2015 back operation became a pivotal moment, as complications from the surgery led to nerve damage that permanently limited his capacity to play the drums.
Subsequent fractures and a serious fall in 2017 further limited his mobility, ultimately leading him to rely on a cane. By 2021, Collins publicly confirmed that drumming was no longer possible for him, a deeply significant admission given the instrument’s central role in his musical identity. During Genesis’ reunion tour, his son Nic Collins stepped in as drummer, allowing his father to remain on stage as a vocalist while symbolically passing the rhythmic torch to the next generation.
Collins’ final live performance took place in 2022, an event that now stands as the closing chapter of a remarkable onstage career. While he has expressed hope that he might regain greater mobility and overall health, he has also been realistic about the possibility that he may never perform live again. This uncertainty, he suggested, is something he has learned to live with rather than resist.
Reflecting on a remarkable career journey
Even as he spoke openly about his health, Collins consistently circled back to a deep gratitude for the life he has experienced in music, portraying his career as remarkably diverse and one that let him inhabit many creative roles, including drummer, frontman, solo performer, songwriter, and producer, while his journey—from progressive rock with Genesis to era‑defining solo albums that dominated the charts—has left an imprint that stretches across genres and decades.
Rather than focusing on accolades or commercial success, Collins emphasized the richness of the journey itself. He suggested that few artists are granted the opportunity to reinvent themselves as often as he did, or to remain relevant across so many phases of the industry. This perspective appeared to ground his reflections, offering balance to the more sobering realities of his health.
The Eras podcast interview, serving as the concluding chapter of the series, emerged not as a farewell but as a reflective overview. A televised adaptation of the discussion will soon be broadcast on the BBC after his birthday, offering a broader audience a glimpse into his professional legacy and his present frame of mind.
Family, responsibility and personal development
Beyond music and health, Collins also addressed more personal themes, particularly his role as a father. Three times divorced, he is the parent of five children, including actress Lily Collins, widely known for her leading role in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. When asked what life has taught him, Collins spoke about accountability and the desire to make amends for moments when his actions may have caused pain.
He acknowledged a part of himself that continues to reflect on how his choices affected those closest to him, especially his children. This sense of reckoning, however, was paired with pride. Collins described his children as resilient and well-adjusted, emphasizing their independence and commitment to their own values. Observing them forge their own paths, he said, has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his life.
This reflection suggested a shift in priorities that often comes with age and experience. Where once success might have been measured in albums sold or arenas filled, Collins now seemed more focused on personal relationships and the character of the people he helped shape.
Acceptance, resilience and moving forward
Although uncertainty continues to shape Collins’ present circumstances, his outlook did not sink into hopelessness; rather, he communicated a calm acceptance and a guarded sense of optimism, voicing the belief that ongoing recovery could help him rebuild strength and maintain independence, even if stepping back onto the stage remains improbable.
This attitude conveys a larger message woven into his narrative: adaptation matters. Much as Collins reshaped his musical style over the course of his career, he now adjusts to his physical challenges with the same forthrightness and discipline that once guided his work ethic. Having continuous care, though a major change, has evolved into a routine centered on protection and overall well-being.
In sharing these experiences publicly, Collins contributes to a more nuanced conversation about aging, health, and legacy in the world of entertainment. His story underscores that even the most celebrated careers are accompanied by personal costs, and that acknowledging vulnerability does not diminish achievement. Instead, it adds depth to an already substantial legacy.
As Phil Collins enters his mid-seventies, his reflections offer a portrait of an artist who has moved beyond performance to contemplation. It is a chapter marked not by applause, but by honesty, responsibility, and an enduring appreciation for a life lived fully, both on and off the stage.
