Phil Collins recounts near-death experience and his children's farewell moments

Phil Collins, now 75, revealed that a relapse into heavy drinking caused severe organ failure, resulting in a seven-month hospitalization in Switzerland during 2024. While his kidneys and other organs were failing, his manager called his five children to his bedside, believing they were offering final goodbyes, though Collins does not recall the encounter. After an initial discharge just before Christmas, he was readmitted to intensive care and later credited his survival to luck, vowing to stay sober.

He spoke about his five children—Joely, Simon, Lily, Nicholas, and Matthew—and their mothers from three marriages, noting his willingness to love again but doubting it will happen. Collins, who lives with a live-in nurse, has retired from touring and now appears on programs such as one outlet Breakfast to discuss his health and future plans.