Phil Collins, who turns 75 this year, is showing signs of a significant health turnaround after enduring what he describes as three years of severe physical challenges, including multiple surgeries, a bout with COVID-19, and ongoing struggles with mobility and chronic conditions.
The upbeat news emerged May 7, 2026, when Mark Goodman, a former MTV VJ who now hosts programming on SiriusXM and co-hosts the “Sound Up!” podcast with music journalist Alan Light, posted a photo on Instagram showing himself alongside a smiling Collins.
“@rockhall inductee @officialphilcollins is doing well thank you after 3 years of physical challenges,” Goodman wrote. “The man comes through it all with the most positive attitude ! Great talent and a beautiful human.”
A Cascade of Medical Setbacks
The Genesis icon’s medical troubles began nearly two decades ago with a 2007 spinal injury that caused lasting nerve damage. A subsequent back operation left him with drop foot, a debilitating condition that made walking a challenge and ultimately forced him to perform seated during his final concert tours, with his son Nic Collins taking over drumming duties.
Collins initially retired from live performance in 2011, then launched his Not Dead Yet solo tour beginning in 2017 before reuniting with Genesis for The Last Domino? tour, which concluded in early 2022. Health complications intensified significantly after that farewell run.
In a remarkably frank interview with Zoe Ball on January 21 for the BBC Two five-part special “Phil Collins Eras: In Conversation,” which wrapped on January 26, the drummer revealed he’d undergone five operations on a single knee, developed kidney problems linked to his drinking, received a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, and spent months hospitalized — a stay during which he contracted COVID.
“I had five operations on my knee now I’ve got a knee that works and I can walk, albeit with assistance, you know, crutches or whatever,” Collins told Ball in the interview.
Two Years Sober and ‘Totally Mobile’
Collins revealed during the BBC special that he’s been sober for two years. He admitted to Ball that while he wasn’t drinking late at night, he had been consuming alcohol during daytime hours, which took a serious toll on his kidneys. He also disclosed that he now has a 24-hour live-in nurse helping him manage his medications.
Despite the medical obstacles, Collins characterized himself as “totally mobile and healthy” during follow-up coverage of the BBC special on January 22. That assessment, combined with Goodman’s recent Instagram post, paints a markedly brighter picture than in 2021, when Collins said he could “barely hold a stick with this hand.”
A Second Rock Hall Honor Awaits
Collins was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this April as a solo artist, 16 years after being inducted with Genesis in 2010. The November 14 ceremony will place him in rare company: he’ll become only the fourth drummer to earn induction twice, joining Ringo Starr, Dave Grohl, and Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.
Under Goodman’s Instagram post, fans expressed overwhelming relief and joy. “So thankful he was inducted! I was really cheering for him!” one commenter wrote.
New Music on the Horizon?
Collins hasn’t released a record of original material since “Testify” in 2002, with his most recent studio effort being 2010’s Motown covers album “Going Back.” But during the BBC conversation, he suggested a return to recording might not be entirely off the table.
The singer mentioned he has “some things that are half formed or were never finished, and a couple of things that were finished,” hinting there could be “life in the old dog” yet. He described any potential comeback as experimental — an opportunity to “have a fiddle about and see if there’s more music.” For someone who had previously suggested his recording career was over, the openness represents a meaningful shift.
Whatever unfolds musically, the central story this spring is one of recovery and resilience. After years marked by pain, surgeries, and isolation, Collins is walking with assistance, maintaining his sobriety, grinning in photos, and looking forward to a November celebration. For fans who’ve watched him struggle, that’s reason enough to celebrate.
