Phil Collins' health sparks concern among fans as he says he 'can barely hold a drumstick'

Phil Collins has sparked concern among fans after his latest TV appearance, admitting he struggles to even hold a drumstick amid various health struggles.  

The iconic dummer, who rose to fame in the 1970s as part of rock band, Genesis, made a rare TV appearance on BBC Breakfast to discuss the group's upcoming reunion tour. 

Phil, who is now 70, opened up on how taking to the stage will be different in his older age, due to his declining health, explaining that his son, Nic, will be taking on drumming duties on 'The Last Domino?' tour. 

"I’m kind of physically challenged a bit, which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son," said Phil. 

"I’d love to, but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way."

Adding that he expects the tour will be his last, Phil went on to say, "I mean, we’re all men of our age and I think to some extent yeah, I think it probably is putting it to bed. Just generally, for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore."

What is Phil Collins' health condition?

Phil Collins' health is thought to have been in decline since he suffered a back injury while on tour with Genesis back in 2007. 

"Somehow during the last Genesis tour I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands," Phil previously explained. 

"After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can’t function normally," he added in a statement penned to fans. 

"I am not in any ’distressed’ state—stuff happens in life."

Has Phil Collins had a stroke?

Phil Collins is not believed to have had stroke but has suffered with numerous health struggles since he dislocated the vertebrae in his neck, back in 2007. 

Phil had to undergo surgery for the injury, which has left him unable to use his hands, legs or feet in the same way. 

Later, in 2012, Phil was rushed to hospital with acute pancreatitis, facing a brush with death after his drinking habits spiralled out of control.

"Within months you're drinking vodka from the fridge in the morning and falling over in front of the kids, you know," he said of the tough time at a press conference in 2016.

"It was something I lived through, and I was lucky to live through it and get through it. I was very close to dying.

"My organs were kind of fu***d. It was spirits. Corrosive stuff."

In 2019, Phil was photographed in Warsaw using a wheelchair and walking stick, having also shared details of how his back surgery impacted his ability to walk and stand.

He was spotted again in 2020 in London while promoting the Genesis re-form, once again using a cane. 

"I have eight screws in my back but it left my foot numb," he told the Mirror. 

"I’d messed my hips up as well. That was a year ago and as of now I have a dropped foot, which means I have no feeling in it," Phil has also explained. 

Was Phil Collins at Lily Collins' wedding?

Phil Collins' daughter, Lily Collins, announced this week that she and her partner, Charlie McDowell, had married in a stunning ceremony in Colorado. 

It has not been confirmed whether Phil was in attendance however Lily, 32, has shared details of her rocky relationship with her father in the past. 

"I forgive you for not always being there when I needed and for not being the dad I expected," she wrote in 2017, in an open letter to Phil in a series of essays titled 'Unfiltered: No shame, No Regrets, Just Me'.

"I forgive the mistakes you made. And although it may seem like it’s too late, it’s not. There’s still so much time to move forward," she also wrote, according to the Daily Mail.

Sharing details of her nuptials online, Lily wrote that she had "never been happier". 

"What started as a fairytale, is now my forever reality. I’ll never be able to properly describe how otherworldly this past weekend was, but magical is a pretty good place to start," she added, beside a gorgeous photo of her kissing her new husband Charlie beneath a waterfall.