Phil Collins has looked back on nearly sixty years in music in a rare and deeply personal world-exclusive interview with Zoe Ball, marking his 75th birthday.
The conversation anchors a new BBC TV special, Phil Collins: Eras – In Conversation, which will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on 31 January 2026. The programme also serves as the closing chapter of the five-part podcast series Eras: Phil Collins, launching on BBC Sounds at 6am on Monday 26 January before airing on BBC Radio 2 in the early hours of Sunday 1 February.
Health, Survival and Perspective
In one of his most open interviews to date, Collins speaks candidly about the serious health challenges that have reshaped his life in recent years. He describes a “convergence” of issues including kidney failure, multiple knee operations and a prolonged struggle with alcohol, confirming that he now requires round-the-clock care.
“I had everything that could go wrong with me,” Collins admits.
Reflecting on the period following his retirement from touring, he adds:
“It all caught up with me and I spent months in hospital. But I wouldn’t have missed any of it for the world.”
The interview offers rare insight into how the physical toll of decades on the road eventually collided with personal habits, forcing a hard reckoning later in life.
Is There More Music To Come?
Despite the setbacks, Collins stops short of closing the door on making music. While realistic about his limitations, he reveals that ideas still linger and that there are unreleased tracks he remains attached to.
“The things that are ahead for me is go in there and have a fiddle about and see if there’s more music,” he says. “Maybe life in the old dog. You’ll see.”
It is a cautious but quietly hopeful note from an artist who once defined an era of pop, rock and adult contemporary music.
From Genesis To Global Stardom
The interview traces Collins’ journey from his early days auditioning as a drummer for Genesis to becoming one of the most recognisable frontmen of his generation. He recalls how the drums initially acted as a psychological safety net, making the shift to lead singer a daunting leap.
There is also pride in his reflections on Genesis’ final tours, where his son Nic Collins stepped in as drummer, bringing the story full circle.
