Phil Collins has opened up about the serious health challenges he faces, revealing he now relies on a “24-hour live-in nurse” as he continues to recover from multiple medical issues that ultimately led him to walk away from performing.
Talking to Zoe Ball on BBC Two as part of the TV special Phil Collins Eras: In Conversationtold the 74-year-old music legend how years of physical strain and recent complications have reshaped his daily life.
“It’s an ongoing thing,” Collins said. “I have a 24-hour nurse, um, to make sure I take my medicine like I should.”
Collins explained that his condition worsened after a series of setbacks happened close together.
While hospitalized, he contracted COVID and his kidneys began to fail.
“I’ve had challenges with my knee — I had everything that could go wrong with me go wrong with me,” he said, adding that the problems seemed to “converge at the same time.”
A big part of his struggle has been his mobility.
Collins revealed that he has undergone five knee surgeries and is now able to walk again, although not without help.
“I had five surgeries on my knee, now I have a knee that works and I can walk, albeit with help, you know, crutches or whatever,” he shared.
The musician also spoke openly about how drinking contributed to his kidney problems.
Reflecting on that period, he said, “I probably drank too much and then my kidneys were messed up.”
Collins noted that while he didn’t see himself as an all-nighter, the habit still took a toll over time. He recently marked two years of sobriety after spending months in the hospital.
These challenges come after decades of health problems, including a spinal cord injury in 2007 that caused nerve damage and led to “drop foot,” making it difficult to walk.
During Genesis’ final tour in 2022, Collins performed while seated and his son took over on drums. He also lives with type 2 diabetes.
Although Collins previously said he had little desire to return to the studio, he hinted that the door may not be completely closed.
“I have some things that are half formed or never finished,” he said. “Maybe the life in the old dog. Yes. You’ll see.”
