Phil Collins, 69, looks frail as wheelchair bound star prepares for Genesis rehearsals

Phil Collins was given a helping hand on Wednesday as he prepared for rehearsals with his Genesis bandmates.

The frail singer, 69, will join forces with keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford for the first time in 13 years when they take to the road with a new tour, of which the dates have yet to be confirmed.  

The tour, which was announced earlier this year, comes amid Phil’s ongoing drama with ex-wife Orianne Cevey, 46, who exchanged vows in a secret August wedding with 30-year old lover Thomas Bates and moved him into their Miami mansion. 

Despite the ongoing controversy Phil appeared to be in high spirits as he emerged from his car outside a London music studio, where a group of assistants were on hand to help him into a wheelchair. 

The star, who looked relaxed in a casual black sweater, matching trousers and cap, gave onlookers the thumb’s up sign as he was wheeled inside. 

Phil originally announced a comeback tour in October 2016 after coming out of retirement. 

The musical icon had planned to kick off his return with five nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall with tickets for the shows selling out in 15 seconds, but following a fall on the way to the bathroom a year later, he was forced to cancel.

A statement was released at the time, which read; ‘Phil suffers from “drop foot” as a result of a back operation which makes it difficult to walk.’ Since then his mobility and health problems have persisted.

Phil, Mike and Tony made up the most successful and long-lasting line-up Genesis during the late 70s, 80s and early 90s, following the departure of lead singer Peter Gabriel. 

Phil’s latest sighting comes a week after Orianne accused him of spying on her by setting up hidden cameras in her bathroom and changing room, in explosive new court documents from their bitter legal battle that got underway at a Florida courtroom last Tuesday.

Orianne alleges the rock legend fabricated a ‘shameful story’ in his lawsuit to have her removed from his Miami Beach mansion, where she is living with her new toyboy husband.

The jewellery designer also calls Phil ‘callous’ for pushing her to live in her Las Vegas home, as she says that would take her son from another marriage away from his father who lives locally.

It is the latest blistering salvo in the new chapter of his headline-grabbing on-off relationship with Orianne. After a 12-year marriage and two sons, the pair divorced in 2008 with a record $47m settlement.

They surprised the world when they announced in 2016 they were back together and living in Phil’s $33 million waterfront mansion in Miami. 

Earlier this month it emerged they had again split, after the star found out she had married struggling musician Thomas Bates, 30, in Las Vegas, while he was in Europe.