Phil Collins recently told The Times of London that he almost died in 2024 from health complications stemming from alcohol abuse.
The Genesis frontman explained that he was initially admitted to a Swiss hospital for alcohol addiction in late 2023. He was discharged at first, but was brought back in shortly after and placed into intensive care. Collins says he was mostly unconscious during his second stint at the hospital.
“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.”
Collins recalled that his five children were rushed to his side, thinking their dad was about to die. He said that, at the time, “There were some decisions to be made about ‘Do we keep Phil on life support?’ kind of thing.”
“I was very lucky to have come out of that,” he added. “Needless to say, I haven’t had a drink since.”
Collins has always been very open about his health troubles. In early 2026, he told BBC Two that he’s undergone five surgeries on his knee. In a more recent interview with BBC Breakfast, Collins said that he’s “healthier now than I have been for quite a while” and often considers getting back to recording and performing.
“I would contemplate, yeah,” he said. “I’m constantly saying to myself, I better go back down to my studio at home.”
