Music legend Phil Collins has provided a fresh update on his health, casting doubt on a potential return to live performance as he continues to battle long-standing medical issues. The 75-year-old former Genesis frontman, who last performed on stage in 2022, has faced numerous health challenges, including five knee operations that now require him to use a walking aid, as well as chronic back and arm injuries resulting from decades of drumming.
Health Update
Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Friday, Collins offered a cautiously optimistic assessment. "I'm healthier now than I have been for quite a while," he said. "The last 18 months has been fine. Before that, not so good." He elaborated on his struggles, stating, "Everything health-wise caught up with me at the same time. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but everything is fine now." Regarding his knee, Collins explained, "I had problems with my knee, which I had for a while but I played through it, I toured through it. But eventually I had to have a knee operation and I had to have it done five times because it either kept getting infected or it broke."
Return to Performing
Despite his improved condition, Collins remains uncertain about returning to the stage. "I can't really see it happening, but I'm healthier now than I have been for quite a while," he admitted. The rocker, known for hits like "In the Air Tonight," "You Can't Hurry Love," and "I Don't Care Anymore," has kept a low profile amid his health battles. However, he revealed that he would consider performing again, saying, "I'm constantly saying to myself I've got to go back down to my studio at home," and noted that he has "lots of lyrical ideas" for new music and "things I would like to get my teeth into."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Collins is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, marking his second induction after being honoured as a member of Genesis in 2010. Speaking about the ceremony in November, he said, "They asked me if I would perform and I said no cos you've got to be match fit to do something like that. You can't just go onstage – you have to rehearse, and by that point if you've not been singing then your voice is going to be shot, and then that's not going to be good, so I'd rather not do it." However, he added, "But whether I'd go out again (to perform), I would contemplate, yes."
Career Highlights
Collins appeared in a BBC documentary in January for his 75th birthday, where he discussed his health issues, revealing he had suffered from Covid and kidney problems, and that he has a 24-hour live-in nurse. Reflecting on his career, which spans nearly six decades, Collins is the only artist to have performed at both Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia for the dual-venue Live Aid charity concerts in 1985. He recalled, "I remember it very well. Someone said, 'well you could get (a Concorde flight) and do both' and I said OK. I said, 'I'm not the only person doing it cos that will look like showing off' and they said no, no, no." He added, "Retrospectively, you can look at (the performances) and say it bonded the two events." As a solo artist, Collins has achieved three UK number one singles and won numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards and eight Grammys. He has five children, including Nicholas, who has drummed for him on tour, and actress Lily Collins, star of Emily in Paris.
