Phil Collins has spoken candidly about his ongoing health challenges in a rare interview for the BBC's Eras podcast. The 74-year-old musician, who turns 75 on 30 January, discussed his two years of sobriety and multiple knee operations with presenter Zoe Ball.
Collins, who played his last live concert in 2022, previously revealed he could 'barely hold a drumstick' after a spinal injury in 2007 that damaged vertebrae in his upper neck and caused lasting nerve damage. He now requires a 24-hour live-in nurse to manage his medication.
'I've had challenges with my knee… I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me,' Collins told Ball. He has undergone five knee surgeries and now has one knee that works, enabling him to walk with the aid of crutches.
The 'In the Air Tonight' singer admitted he had been drinking too much, which affected his kidneys, leading to months in hospital. He has now celebrated two years of sobriety, describing the past few years as 'difficult, interesting, frustrating' but ultimately 'alright now'.
Collins also reflected on his career and family life, saying he is proud of his five children from three marriages. He remains philosophical about his condition: 'If I can't do what I did as well as I did it, I'd rather relax and not do anything.'
