FORMER GENESIS DRUMMER Phil Collins has announced his retirement from music – and has, bizarrely, apologised to those who dislike his music for the level of success he has enjoyed.

Collins told FHM magazine that he was giving up his career in music, after suffering from a collective bout of ailments – including nerve damage, tinnitus (or ‘ringing ears’) and back problems – which had left him unable to play the drums.

But – despite having been one of the most successful musicians of his era, and being one of the few artists in the world to have sold over 100 million albums in both his solo and band careers – Collins had an apology for those who never grew to like his music.

“I’m sorry that it was all so successful,” Collins offered.  ”I honestly didn’t mean for it to happen like that.

“It’s hardly surprising that people grew to hate me… I don’t think anyone’s going to miss me.”

He added:

I look at the MTV Music Awards and I think, ‘I can’t be in the same business as this.’ I don’t really belong to that world… I’m much happier to write myself out of the script entirely.

His retirement was coming now, he said, before his illnesses became too pronounced and impacted on his daily life.

At his induction into the rock and roll hall of fame last year, Collins described the allocade as “a dreadful mistake”. Shortly afterward, he revealed that he had considered suicide.