Phil Collins has revealed that his five children were called to his hospital bedside when a severe alcohol-related health crisis left doctors considering whether he should remain on life support.
The former Genesis frontman spent approximately seven months receiving treatment in Switzerland after his kidneys and other organs began failing.
In an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, Collins said he had been unaware that his family feared they might never see him again.
He described himself as fortunate to have survived and said he has not consumed alcohol since the life-threatening episode.
His Children Were Called When Doctors Faced a Critical Decision
Collins was first hospitalized in November 2023 because of complications related to his alcohol use. He was discharged three days before Christmas but returned to intensive care several weeks later when his condition deteriorated. By April 2024, the singer was unconscious in a Swiss hospital as his kidneys and other organs began failing.
His longtime manager contacted his five children: Joely, Simon, Lily, Nicholas and Matthew because the family might have needed to make decisions about continuing life support. “My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up,” Collins recalled. “People were coming to say goodbye.”
Collins said he has no memory of his children gathering at the hospital or of how close the situation came to ending differently. “I didn’t have no idea this was going on,” he said. “They were all worried that they wouldn’t see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong.”
Collins Spent Seven Months in the Hospital
The singer connected the medical emergency to a relapse that began after he stopped taking Antabuse, a medication that causes an adverse reaction when alcohol is consumed. Collins said he resented being unable to drink and eventually began having wine when he woke up.
“That was what I’d want for breakfast, a glass of wine,” he told the publication. He said he did not drink throughout the night and initially failed to recognize the severity of the problem.
The prolonged alcohol use damaged his pancreas and kidneys and contributed to the hospitalization that lasted approximately seven months. “I was very lucky to have come out of that,” Collins said. “Needless to say, I haven’t had a drink since.”
Collins had previously written about alcoholism in his 2016 memoir, Not Dead Yet, describing how loneliness, retirement, health problems and the breakdown of his third marriage contributed to an earlier period of heavy drinking.
A Later Family Gathering Became Especially Emotional
Later in 2024, Collins reunited with all five children at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London’s Knightsbridge neighborhood. The family spent four days and nights together following the uncertainty surrounding his hospitalization.
Collins said his daughter Lily became emotional while sitting beside him and reflecting on how close they had come to losing the opportunity. “I never thought I’d get these moments,” she told him, according to People’s account of the interview. “We had an incredible time,” Collins said. “I can’t overemphasize how fantastic it was.”
His Health Problems Continue to Affect Daily Life
Collins continues to live with several serious health problems unrelated to the immediate alcohol crisis. Nerve damage resulting from a spinal injury has affected his hands and feet, while five knee operations have severely restricted his mobility. He now walks with assistance and uses crutches.
Collins has also received treatment for kidney problems and type 2 diabetes. He said earlier this year that he has a 24-hour live-in nurse who ensures that he takes his medication correctly.
The physical limitations ended his ability to play drums professionally. During Genesis’ final tour, Collins performed vocals while seated as his son Nicholas played drums. The band delivered its final concert at London’s O2 Arena in March 2022.