Phil Collins Celebrates 75th Birthday Amid Health Struggles

Phil Collins, the legendary musician and former Genesis frontman, marked his 75th birthday on January 30, 2026, surrounded by family, fans, and an outpouring of love—most notably from his daughter, actress Lily Collins. The milestone, celebrated on Saturday, was more than just a birthday; it was a testament to resilience, legacy, and the enduring power of music to connect generations.

Lily Collins, known for her starring role in Emily in Paris, took to Instagram on January 31 with a heartfelt tribute to her father. She shared both a new photo of the pair and a touching throwback of Phil carrying her as a child. Lily, now 36, expressed her gratitude and pride in a caption that resonated with fans worldwide: “Yesterday Dad turned 75 and I feel so grateful to have celebrated together. For all you’ve accomplished, all the joy you’ve brought so many all over the world for ALL these years, all the lessons we’ve learned, all the memories we’ve shared, and all the new ones to come, thank you.” She added, “I count myself so lucky to have hugged you, laughed with you, and reminisced with you on such a monumental day. Proud is an understatement. Love you to the moon and back again…” (as reported by Daily Mail and E! News).

Fans echoed Lily’s sentiments, flooding social media with messages such as, “Your dad is the soundtrack to so many of our lives,” and, “Your dad’s music has brought so much joy to my life and fans worldwide.” It’s clear that Phil Collins’ influence extends far beyond his immediate family, touching the lives of millions over his decades-spanning career.

The birthday celebration came just days after Phil Collins offered a candid update on his health—an update that was as honest as it was sobering. In a BBC Two interview with Zoe Ball for the special Eras – In Conversation and on the BBC’s Eras podcast, Collins detailed the challenges he has faced since retiring from music in 2022. He spoke openly about battling type 2 diabetes, complications from a 2007 spine injury, and the toll of five knee operations. “Yeah, it’s an ongoing thing. You know I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication as I should do,” he explained.

Collins described a period when his health troubles seemed to converge all at once. “I’ve had challenges with my knee, I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me. I got COVID in hospital—my kidneys started to back up, you know, everything that started that could, all seemed to converge at the same time. 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,” he shared with Zoe Ball (Daily Mail).

Perhaps most striking was Collins’ admission about the impact of his past drinking. “I’d probably been drinking too much, so my kidneys were messed up,” he said. “I wasn’t one of those guys that sort of stayed up all night drinking. I’d drink during the day, but I guess I had too much of it. I was never drunk, although I fell over a couple of times. But, it is just one of those things that happened and it all caught up with me and I spent months in hospital.”

Despite these daunting health issues—including nerve damage in his hands that began after his spinal injury, which ultimately forced him to retire from drumming—Collins remains determined to find joy and purpose. “I enjoyed coming off tour, coming off the road, but I thought, right, I’m gonna do all those things that I couldn’t do,” he reflected. Yet, he’s realistic about his limitations. In his 2024 documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First, he noted, “If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything. If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack at it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.”

Family has become a central pillar in Collins’ life. He is the father of five children—Nic (24), Matthew (18), Joely (52), Simon (48), and Lily (36)—with three different women. Both Simon and Nic have followed in his footsteps as drummers. Collins spoke with pride about his children’s resilience and independence: “My kids are amazingly well adjusted considering some of the things that they’ve been through, you know? And as I said before, I’m very, very proud of all of them. They’ve all stood on their own and done what they believe in. So I feel very lucky about that.”

His personal life has been as eventful as his career. Collins has been married three times, including to Andrea Bertorelli, Jill Tavelman, and Orianne Cevey. His split from Cevey in 2008 led to a record-breaking £25 million settlement, though the two briefly reconciled in 2016 before separating again. Through it all, Collins has maintained a sense of humor and perspective, often reflecting on life’s twists and turns with candor.

Looking ahead, Collins hinted that music might still play a role in his future, albeit in a different capacity. “The things that are ahead for me would be, apart from just being back to being totally mobile and healthy, is go in there and have a fiddle about and see if there’s more music ‘cause you know, you tend to sort of feel, that’s it, I’ve done that. But you’ve gotta start doing it to see if you can do it. Otherwise you don’t do it. So that is something on my horizon,” he mused during his BBC interview.

For Lily Collins, her father’s journey is a source of inspiration and gratitude. Her birthday tribute not only celebrated Phil’s accomplishments but also underscored the deep bond they share—a bond forged through both triumphs and trials. As Lily wrote, “Proud is an understatement.”

Phil Collins’ 75th birthday serves as a poignant reminder of the highs and lows that come with a life lived in the spotlight. Through health battles, personal upheavals, and the relentless march of time, Collins’ story is ultimately one of resilience, family, and the enduring magic of music. For fans and loved ones alike, it’s clear: there’s still life—and love—in the old dog yet.