Phil Collins didn’t get any divorce money back
Phil Collins’ third wife Orianne Cevey didn’t give him a penny of the £25 million he paid her during their divorce battle when they got back together.
The 65-year-old musician confirmed earlier this year he was in a relationship with the 43-year-old jewelry designer again, eight years after forking out the record-breaking sum – Britain’s largest settlement at the time – and now likes to think he’s only been divorced twice.
Speaking at a press conference at the Royal Albert Hall today (10.17.16) hosted by Jools Holland to announce his ‘Not Dead Yet: Live 2017 Tour’, Phil said: "I’m back with my third wife so I’ve only really been divorced twice you could say, if you were being generous.
"And she didn’t give me the money back."
Phil and Orianne – who was left partially paralysed with spinal disorder Brown-Séquard syndrome following an operation in 2014 – have two kids together, Nicholas, 15, and Matthew, 11.
They married in Switzerland in 1999 but split in 2006 and divorced two years later and he started drinking heavily.
Phil – who has son Simon, 40, from his first marriage to Andrea Bertorelli from 1975 to 1980, during which he adopted her daughter Joely, 44, and daughter Lily from his 12-year marriage to Jill Tavelman which ended in 1996 – has been having therapy recently to deal with his medical issues.
He added: "I had back surgery because 60 years of drumming messed my back and hips up. It’s left me as of now, a year on, with a dropped foot, my right foot doesn’t have any feeling.
"I’m hoping in time that will get better as nerves regenerate. So getting some physical stuff done is at the top of my to do list.
"I’m doing a lot of therapy which is very good. Divorces and drinking don’t really get in the way of this."
Phil’s son Nicholas has followed in his footsteps and become a drummer, as did his eldest son Simon, and the teenager is set to play alongside his father on the ‘Easy Lover’ hitmaker’s upcoming European tour.
He added: "Nicholas, who is 15, is a fantastic drummer, my oldest son Simon is too but he has his own career and very firm views about what he wants to do.
"Nicholas is in the learning stage. We did three shows in Europe and he played and all the band were very impressed.
"He’ll go out with me and he’ll be 16."
Phil has come out of retirement after 10 years to announce his next run of gigs, including a five-night residency at London’s Royal Albert Hall next June.
He will then head to Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France, for two dates apiece before having "a lie down".
