Phil Collins has never been one to hide behind silence. And now, as he marks his 75th birthday, the music legend has laid bare the reality of his health struggles — with a mixture of brutal honesty, self-reflection and quiet defiance.
In a candid, world-exclusive interview with Zoe Ball for BBC Two’s Eras – In Conversation, the Genesis frontman revealed the full extent of the challenges he has faced in recent years — from multiple surgeries to round-the-clock medical care.
Yet despite everything, his message is unmistakable: he’s still here — and he’s not done yet.
‘Everything That Could Go Wrong… Did’
Collins, long known for his powerhouse drumming and unmistakable voice, has lived for years with type 2 diabetes and complications from a serious spinal injury dating back to 2007. But the toll on his body has gone far beyond what fans ever saw on stage.
“I’ve had five operations on my knee,” he revealed. “I’ve got a knee that works now — I can walk, with help. Crutches, whatever it takes.”
Phil Collins detailed his health issues in a new interview with Zoe Ball as he said: ‘I’ve had five knee operations, I have a 24-hour live in nurse and my kidneys packed up through boozing but there’s life in the old dog yet’
Phil pictured performing at London’s Hyde Park in 2017 – his son Nic filled in for him on the drums due to the musician’s agonising spine and knee conditions
Those surgeries were only part of the story. During a prolonged hospital stay, Phil contracted Covid, triggering further complications that pushed his body to breaking point.
“My kidneys started backing up,” he said. “Everything seemed to converge at the same time.”
Today, Collins relies on a 24-hour live-in nurse to manage his medication and daily care — a reality he speaks about without bitterness, but with clarity.
“It’s an ongoing thing,” he admitted. “You deal with what’s in front of you.”
The Drinking Admission That Caught Up With Him
In one of his most disarming admissions, Collins spoke openly about how alcohol played a role in his health collapse.
“I’d probably been drinking too much,” he said simply. “Not all night — during the day. I was never drunk… but it all caught up with me.”
After coming off the road, he allowed himself the freedoms touring had denied him. But months later, he found himself spending long stretches in hospital, facing the consequences.
Still, he refuses to frame the past in regret.
“It’s just one of those things,” he said. “I wouldn’t have missed any of it for the world.”
Phil pictured with his daughter, Emily In Paris star Lily Collins back in 2009
Phil with his daughters, Lily and Joely (behind Lily), while kneeling down by his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 – he told Zoe: ‘My kids are amazingly well adjusted considering some of the things that they’ve been through, you know?’
Family, Reflection — And Making Peace
Now a father of five — including Emily in Paris star Lily Collins — Phil admits there’s a quieter, more reflective side to this stage of his life.
“There’s a part of me that’s trying to make up for things,” he said. “Things I’ve done… or ways I may have affected the kids.”
But he speaks with pride about his children, calling them “amazingly well-adjusted” despite growing up in the shadow of fame.
“I’m very proud of all of them,” he said. “They’ve stood on their own.”
Passing the Torch — And Finding Hope
One of the most emotional moments of recent years came in 2017, when Phil’s son Nic Collins stepped in on drums during Genesis’ Hyde Park show, as his father struggled with pain.
“He surprised the hell out of me,” Phil said. “He just kept getting better and better.”
Seeing Nic behind the kit didn’t feel like an ending — it felt like continuity.
Is There Still Music Left?
For now, there are no grand comeback announcements. No tour dates. No promises.
But there is curiosity.
“There are things I never finished,” Phil admitted. “A few ideas that still feel alive.”
Asked whether he might return to the studio, he smiled.
“Maybe there’s still life in the old dog,” he said. “You’ll see.”
After decades of chart-toppers, sold-out stadiums and relentless work, Phil Collins is moving at a different pace — slower, quieter, more deliberate.
But one thing is clear: this is not a farewell.
It’s a pause — and perhaps, the start of something unexpected.