Rock legend Phil Collins details life-threatening alcoholism: ‘My organs were just seizing up’

Genesis musician Phil Collins is speaking candidly about his life-threatening battle with alcohol addiction.“My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up. People were coming to say goodbye,” Collins, 75, said during an interview with The Times published Saturday, August 1. “But I don’t remember them coming, I didn’t have no idea this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn’t see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong.”Collins was describing his seven-month hospital stay following an alcohol relapse in 2023. “I was very lucky to have come out of that. Needless to say, I haven’t had a drink since,” he said. Although he’s now sober, Collins has permanent scarring on his pancreas and long-term kidney damage. “I’d have wine when I woke up. That was what I’d want 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,” Collins said of his relapse. At the end of 2025, two years after his hospitalization, Collins booked a whole floor at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London for his family to ring in the new year together. “We had an incredible time. I can’t overemphasize how fantastic it was,” Collins said. He noted that his daughter, “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins, “was sitting beside me in tears, saying, ‘I never thought I’d get these moments.’”READ MORE: Liam Payne’s girlfriend explains why she removed tattoos dedicated to late singerCollins previously discussed his alcoholism during a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, noting that he began “drinking too much” after his 2006 divorce from his third wife, Orianne Cevey. “It left me with a lot of time on my hands to think about what happened. I went through a few bits of darkness,” he recalled. “I killed my hours watching TV and drinking, and it almost killed me. But I haven’t had a drink in three years.”Collins officially retired from touring after his final Genesis show at London’s O2 Arena in March 2022. He performed every show of the band’s The Last Domino? Tour sitting in a chair due to severe back problems and a foot injury. His son Nic Collins replaced him on drums.“I wish I could play still,” he told The Times. “It’s been my life since I was given a drum kit at three. I’ve always wanted to just do that.”‘Ted Lasso’ cast changes: See who isn’t coming back for season 4‘Big Brother’ alum slams ‘painful’ treatment of gay contestant, calls for more diverse castingIconic actress joins OnlyFans at 85The twisted plot that sent an innocent woman to jail while her ex and his wife walked freeSara Donnellan is a trending entertainment news writer. She worked as a TV news reporter for NJ.com, covering scripted and reality television and other viral TV moments, answering viewers’ burning questions and...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by AL.com staff.