Phil Collins has issued a health update amid claims he is in a hospice.
Last week, rumours circulated online that the 74-year-old music icon was on his death bed.
However, a representative for the former Genesis drummer and frontman insists this is not the case and that he is currently in the hospital after undergoing knee surgery.
The Another Day In Paradise hit-maker has faced significant health challenges over the years, including lasting nerve damage from a spinal injury sustained in 2007.
Despite these difficulties, his spokesperson emphasised that Collins is not in end-of-life care.
These recent false reports caused concern among fans but appear to have been fuelled by Collins’ own past comments about his health struggles.
In a 2022 interview with Mojo magazine, following Genesis’s final concert at London’s O2 Arena, Collins spoke candidly about his illness and waning motivation to record new music.
“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens, but I’m not hungry for it anymore,” he said. “The thing is, I’ve been sick — I mean very sick.”
Peter Gabriel, founding member of Genesis, attended the farewell concert and reflected on Collins’ condition, noting, “Phil wasn’t in as great a shape as he used to be, but they did a great job.”
Though Gabriel did not perform, he described attending as “a rite of passage,” explaining, “I’d been part of the creation of Genesis, so I wanted to be there at the end.”
Collins retired from live performances in 2022 due to physical limitations, having previously revealed he could “barely hold a drumstick” because of nerve damage caused by his spinal injury.
During Genesis’s 2021 The Last Domino? tour, his 24-year-old son Nic stepped in as drummer, supporting his father on stage.
“It’s very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son,” Collins told BBC Breakfast in 2021. “I’m kind of physically challenged a bit.”
Collins, who has been married three times, is also a father to four other children: actor Joely, 52; drummer Simon, 48; Emily in Paris star Lily, 36; and soccer player Mathew, 20.
