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Phil Collins, 75, Says Alcoholism Nearly Killed Him
The Genesis singer says his organs began failing, and his five children gathered at his bedside
Phil Collins, seen here performing with Genesis in 2021, has told “The Sunday Times” that alcoholism led to organ failure and a seven-month hospitalization.
Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images, Getty Images
Key takeaways
- Phil Collins says heavy drinking damaged his kidneys, pancreas and other organs, leading to a seven-month hospitalization.
- His five children were called to his bedside when his family feared he might not survive.
- Collins says he has not consumed alcohol since the medical crisis.
Phil Collins says alcoholism nearly killed him and brought his five children to his hospital bedside to prepare for the worst.
The former Genesis front man, 75, told The Sunday Times magazine that his drinking became so severe that his kidneys began to fail and other organs started shutting down.
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“There were some decisions to be made about ‘Do we keep Phil on life support?’ kind of thing,” Collins said. “My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up. People were coming to say goodbye.”
Collins said he had no memory of his family arriving.
“But I don’t remember them coming,” he said. “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 The Sunday Times, Collins was taken to a hospital in November 2023 after heavy drinking damaged his pancreas and kidneys. He was discharged shortly before Christmas that year, then returned to intensive care weeks later. He spent seven months in the hospital.
Collins performs with Genesis in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 30, 1987, during the band’s “Invisible Touch” tour.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Collins said the relapse began after he stopped taking Antabuse, a medication that causes illness when alcohol is consumed. At one point in the interview, he said he was drinking wine at breakfast.
His manager called Collins’ five children to the hospital in April 2024, The Sunday Times reported.
For many fans, Collins’ name brings back a long run of songs that seemed to be everywhere, from “In the Air Tonight” and “Against All Odds” to “Another Day in Paradise.” He first made his name behind the drum kit with Genesis, then moved to lead vocals after Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975. Collins’ solo career made him one of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s and 1990s.
Collins has eight Grammy wins and 27 nominations. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted him as a solo performer in 2026, says he has sold more than 150 million records worldwide through his solo work and his years with Genesis. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of Genesis in 2010.
Collins’ health problems have changed the way he performs and manages daily life. Neck and spinal issues that required surgery left him unable to play the drums, limiting him to vocals during Genesis’ 2021 reunion tour, according to The Guardian. People reported that he has also dealt with nerve damage, knee problems, kidney trouble and type 2 diabetes. Earlier this year, Collins told BBC host Zoe Ball that he has a live-in nurse who helps him stay on schedule with his medication.
Collins’ crisis was tied to alcoholism and severe drinking, not moderate alcohol use later in life. His account still carries added relevance for older adults because alcohol can have stronger and longer-lasting effects with age. AARP has reported that changes in body composition, metabolism and brain sensitivity can increase risks, including falls, sleep problems, medication interactions and complications from chronic conditions.
Know the signs
Collins says alcoholism nearly killed him, a crisis that began with drinking early in the day and ended with organ failure and months in the hospital. Learn the warning signs that alcohol use may be becoming a problem and where to find help.
Collins had described an earlier period of heavy drinking in a 2015 Rolling Stone interview. After his marriage ended and his sons moved to Miami with their mother, he said he spent long stretches watching television and consuming alcohol. “I killed my hours watching TV and drinking, and it almost killed me,” he said.
Later in 2024, Collins and his children spent four days together at a London hotel, he told The Sunday Times. He recalled daughter Lily sitting beside him in tears and saying, “I never thought I’d get these moments.”
Collins told The Sunday Times that he’s been sober since leaving the hospital.
“I was very lucky to have come out of that,” he said. “Needless to say, I haven’t had a drink since.”
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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