Rock icon Phil Collins 'didn't know he had a problem' despite alcohol addiction
Rock icon Phil Collins 'didn't know he had a problem' despite alcohol addiction
Averee Nelson Sun, August 2, 2026 at 5:27 PM UTC
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Phil Collins looked on a heartbreaking moment from his struggles with alcohol addiction (Image: Getty Images Europe)
Phil Collins opened up about the harrowing moment when his children were called to be by his bedside to say their final goodbyes amid his battle with alcohol addiction.
The 75-year-old English singer and drummer icon recalled the time in April 2024 when he was unconscious in a Swiss hospital due to heavy alcohol use.
His health prompted his long-time manager of 50 years to call his five children to his bedside to make hard decisions and say their goodbyes. This comes after Collins admitted that he doesn't have any plans to return to the stage after his retirement in 2022.
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In an interview with The Sunday Times, Collins opened up about the heartbreaking moment when his five children, daughters Lily Collins, 37, and Joely Collins, 53, and sons Simon Collins, 50, Nicolas Collins, 25, and Matthew Collins, 21, were asked to come to his bedside in a time when things could have gone "terribly wrong."
Collins' five children were called to his bedside to say their goodbyes (Image: Getty Images)
"Because there were some decisions to be made about 'Do we keep Phil on life support?' kind of thing. My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up. People were coming to say goodbye," the Grammy Award-winner recalled to The Sunday Times.
"But I don't remember them coming, I didn't have no idea this was going on," he continued. "They were all worried that they wouldn't see me again. It could have gone terribly wrong."
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer detailed his struggles with alcohol, telling the outlet, "I'd have wine I woke up. That was what I wanted for breakfast, a glass of wine."
"But I didn't drink into the night you know. So I wasn't really aware of having a problem to be honest," he admitted.
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Phil Collins recalled a moment with his daughter, Lily, after his health scare (Image: Getty Images)
Collins, who was the lead singer and drummer of the rock band Genesis, has dealt with other health issues, including nerve damage, knee problems, kidney issues, and type 2 diabetes.
In his 2016 autobiography, Not Dead Yet, Collins wrote about his battle with alcoholism, detailing that it began when he was 55 amid a break from performing, back pain, and the failure of his third marriage to Orianne Cevey.
"Night after night I find myself lying on the bed, staring out of a skylight at grey Swiss skies, rueing my life," he wrote. "I'm all alone, save for my good friends Johnnie Walker and Grey Goose."
Collins, in the interview with The Sunday Times, recalled that later in 2024, he met up with his family for four days and nights at the Mandarin Oriental in London.
He recalled a moment with his daughter and the Emily in Paris actress Lily Collins to the outlet, saying, "She was sitting beside me in tears, saying, 'I never thought I'd get these moments.' We had an incredible time. I can't overemphasize how fantastic it was."
The In the Air Tonight hitmaker admitted to The Sunday Times that he was "very lucky to have come out of that," noting that he has been sober since then.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA ) runs a free 24-hour hot line for treatment referrals and support: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Calls are confidential and offered in English and Spanish.
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Alcoholics Anonymous for free support on 0800 9177 650 or email help@aamail.org
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
