Phil Collins has confirmed he will not be returning to the stage, speaking in a rare television appearance this morning.
The 74-year-old former Genesis frontman took part in a pre-recorded interview broadcast with the BBC on Friday’s programme.
It marks four years since the legendary musician stepped away from touring following a series of debilitating health setbacks.
Mr Collins, whose global record sales have surpassed 100 million copies, has largely remained away from public view since his retirement.
Phil Collins confirmed that he will not be returning to the stage
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BBC
The musician revealed that the past 18 months have been relatively stable, though the period before that proved extremely challenging.
“Everything health-wise caught up to me at the same time.
“Whatever could go wrong did go wrong, but everything is fine now,” Mr Collins told the programme.
His knee troubles had plagued him for years, with the artist continuing to tour despite the pain.
After Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel departed the band in 1975, Mr Collins took over lead vocals
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GETTY
“I had a problem with my knee, which I had for a while, but I played through it – toured through it,” he explained.
“But eventually, I had to have a knee operation, and I had to have five – five times because it kept either getting infected or it broke.”
The repeated surgeries left him unable to work for an extended period, while kidney complications added to his medical difficulties.
Mr Collins disclosed that he turned down an invitation to perform at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.
Repeated surgeries Mr Collins unable to work for an extended period
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GETT
“I can’t really see it happening, but I’m healthier now than I have been for quite a while,” he said.
“I mean, this Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – they asked if I would perform and I said no because you know, you’ve got to be match fit to do something like that.”
The singer emphasised that live performance requires significant preparation that he is not currently able to undertake.
“You can’t just go on stage, you’ve got to rehearse, and then by that point, if you’ve not been singing, your voice is going to be shot, and then that’s not going to be good, so I’d rather not do it,” he added.
While ruling out a return to live performance, Mr Collins has not abandoned music entirely.
The artist revealed he frequently reminds himself to return to his home studio, where creative work continues at his own pace.
“I’ve got lots of lyrical ideas that I write down, and there are things that are half-formed and a couple of things that are finished,” he said.
Phil Collins
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GETTY“So there’s something that I can get my teeth into to start working on.”
Mr Collins began his career in 1970 as Genesis’s drummer before launching a hugely successful solo career in the 1980s, producing hits including Against All Odds and Two Hearts.