Phil Collins almost died in 2024. His organs were failing, his family had flown in to say goodbye, and doctors were weighing whether to keep him on life support.
The Genesis frontman recently told The Times of London that he was first admitted to a Swiss hospital in late 2023 for alcohol addiction. He was discharged, then brought back shortly after and placed into intensive care. He says he was mostly unconscious during that second stay.
"My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up," Collins said. "People were coming to say goodbye. But I don't remember them coming. I didn't have no idea this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn't see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong."
According to a report by Variety, Collins recalled that his five children were rushed to his side during the crisis. He described a moment when family members were faced with a stark question. "There were some decisions to be made about 'Do we keep Phil on life support?' kind of thing," he said.
Collins survived. He has not had a drink since. "I was very lucky to have come out of that," he said. "Needless to say, I haven't had a drink since."
The 75-year-old has been open about his physical decline for years. In early 2026, he told BBC Two that he has undergone five surgeries on his knee. In a more recent BBC Breakfast interview, Collins described his current condition as improved. "I'm healthier now than I have been for quite a while," he said, adding that he often thinks about returning to the studio.
"I would contemplate, yeah," Collins said. "I'm constantly saying to myself, I better go back down to my studio at home."
Collins has not toured since 2022, when he performed seated due to his physical limitations following a spinal injury that damaged nerves in his hands and feet. Whether a recording or performing comeback materializes remains unclear, but his comments suggest the idea is not off the table.
