Phil Collins has cast doubt on any return to live performance, telling BBC Breakfast that he cannot 'really see it happening' despite feeling healthier now than he has for some time. The 75-year-old rock legend, who last performed publicly in 2022, said his health had 'caught up' with him, with multiple issues occurring simultaneously.
'Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but everything is fine now,' Collins explained. He detailed problems with his knee, which required five operations due to infection or breakage. Collins also revealed he has a 24-hour live-in nurse to manage his medication, and that he contracted COVID while in hospital, leading to kidney complications.
Collins turned down an invitation to perform at his upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, citing the need to be 'match fit' for such an event. '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,' he said. However, he indicated he still has 'lyrical ideas' for new music.
The musician has been open about past health issues, including a spinal injury in 2007 that caused nerve damage and 'drop foot', as well as type 2 diabetes. Drumming has taken a physical toll, forcing him to give up the instrument. 'If I can't do what I did as well as I did it, I'd rather relax and not do anything,' he said in the documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First.
