Phil Collins Opens up About Near-death Experience From Alcoholism
WHO:
Variety - Phil Collins, Genesis frontman
Rolling Stone Music - Phil Collins
WHAT:
nbcnews.com - Collins was unconscious for long stretches of time during his intensive care stay.
nbcnews.com - Collins' long-time manager summoned his family due to fears he was about to die, considering decisions about life support.
nbcnews.com - Collins stated, "I was very lucky to have come out of that," referring to his recovery after a seven-month hospital stay.
nbcnews.com - Collins has not had a drink since his recovery.
nbcnews.com - The Collins family celebrated the end of 2025 by renting out an entire floor of the Mandarin Oriental in the Knightsbridge neighborhood of London.
nbcnews.com - Collins mentioned that he has faced mobility issues and has been seen using crutches in public appearances.
nbcnews.com - Collins has had five operations on his knee.
nbcnews.com - Collins expressed, "If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything."
Deadline - Collins stated, "I was very lucky" to have survived the health complications from alcohol abuse.
Variety - Phil Collins stated he almost died in 2024 from health complications related to alcohol abuse.
Rolling Stone Music - Collins described his condition, saying, "My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up."
WHERE:
Variety - Collins was initially admitted to a hospital in Switzerland for alcohol addiction.
WHEN:
Variety - Collins was admitted to the Swiss hospital for alcohol addiction in late 2023.
Variety - Collins almost died in 2024.
WHY:
Deadline - Collins has been open about suffering from Type 2 diabetes and complications related to it.
Variety - The health complications stemmed from alcohol abuse.
HOW:
Variety - Collins was discharged from the hospital but was brought back shortly after for further treatment.
(UPDATED August 3, 2026 16:23 UTC)
Collins faced a challenging recovery after spending seven months in intensive care, where he was unconscious for long stretches and his family was called in to consider life support decisions. Since then, he has not had a drink and has been seen using crutches in public due to mobility issues, having undergone five operations on his knee. Reflecting on his journey, Collins stated, "I was very lucky to have come out of that," and added that if he can't perform at his best, he would prefer to relax and not do anything.
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(UPDATED August 3, 2026 09:02 UTC)
Collins recently shared that he feels "very lucky" to have survived health complications stemming from alcohol abuse. He has been candid about his struggles with Type 2 diabetes and the related issues that have affected his health. This openness highlights the challenges he has faced in managing his conditions.
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(UPDATED August 3, 2026 01:24 UTC)
Phil Collins, the frontman of Genesis, revealed that he nearly died in 2024 due to serious health complications stemming from alcohol abuse. He described his condition, stating, "My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up," after being initially admitted to a hospital in Switzerland for alcohol addiction in late 2023. Although he was discharged, Collins had to return to the hospital shortly after for further treatment.