Phil Collins: “Everything That Could Go Wrong, Went Wrong”
Phil Collins has never been one for sugarcoating. And in a new BBC interview, the legendary musician keeps it brutally real. “Everything that could go wrong, went wrong,” he admits. No metaphor. No drama. Just facts.
Speaking to Zoe Ball for an upcoming BBC podcast episode dedicated entirely to his life and career, Collins opens up about the harsh physical reality he has been living with behind the scenes. The episode drops next week, but previews shared by NME already paint a heavy picture.
This is Phil Collins in 2026. Older, battle-tested, still honest as hell.
Five Knee Surgeries and 24/7 Care
Collins reveals he has undergone five surgeries on his knee. Five. At this point, it is less about recovery and more about survival mode. He is now under constant medical supervision, with nurses caring for him around the clock to make sure he takes his medication properly.
One knee, he says, “works.” The other? Not so much. Walking is possible, but only with crutches or support. Fans who watched Genesis’ final shows in 2022 already saw the signs. Collins performed seated, while his son Nic took over on drums, a quiet but powerful passing-of-the-torch moment that hit longtime fans right in the chest.
The Alcohol Wake-Up Call
Collins also addresses his relationship with alcohol, something he has spoken about more openly in recent years. He has been sober for two years now, but the road there was messy.
“The last few years were difficult, interesting, frustrating,” he says. Things escalated when daytime drinking crept in. He insists he was never getting drunk, but even that line has consequences. A couple of falls. Months in hospital. The bill eventually came due.
No glam rock myth here. Just a reminder that bodies keep score.
The Spark Is Still There
Here is the part that matters most to fans.
Despite everything, Collins says he wants to return to the studio. Not with a big announcement or comeback tour energy, but with curiosity. He wants to see if the spark is still there.
“You have to try to see if you can do it,” he says.
That sentence hits harder than any press release. This is not about charts, legacy, or proving anything. It is about instinct. About whether music still shows up when he sits down and listens.
Phil Collins saying he wants to make music again does not mean a new album is coming. Let’s be clear. But it does mean the door is not closed.
In an industry obsessed with comebacks and farewell tours that never stick, Collins’ honesty cuts through the noise. He is not selling hope. He is testing it.
For fans, it is a reminder of why his music mattered in the first place. Emotion without filters. Vulnerability without branding. Whether he records again or not, this moment feels like a full stop, not an ellipsis.
And sometimes, that is enough.