Phil Collins wife and partners: a journey through his love life
I am disappointed that I have been married three times…I'm even more disappointed that I've been divorced three times.
Phil Collins admitted in his 2016 memoir Not Dead Yet. These words reflect the ups and downs of his love life. Phil Collins’ wives, Andrea Bertorelli, Jill Tavelman, and Orianne Cevey, have their own unique story. Here is a breakdown of the women who have shared his life and the stories behind each relationship.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Phil Collins has been married three times and divorced each time.
- Andrea Bertorelli was his first wife, and they married in 1975 after meeting as teenagers.
- Jill Tavelman was his second wife, and their split was linked to an alleged affair.
- Orianne Cevey married Collins twice, with both marriages ending in public disputes.
- Collins paid a record £25 million settlement in his 2006 divorce from Cevey.
| Full name | Philip David Charles Collins |
| Popular as | Phil Collins |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 30 January 1951 |
| Age | 74 years old (as of August 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Place of birth | Chiswick, London, England |
| Current residence | London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in inches | 5′6″ |
| Height in centimetres | 168 |
| Hair colour | Grey |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Father | Greville Philip Austin Collins |
| Mother | Winifred June |
| Siblings | 2 |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Ex-Partners | Andrea Bertorelli, Jill Tavelman, Orianne Cevey |
| School | Chiswick County Grammar School |
| Profession | Musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor |
| @officialphilcollins | |
| @philcollins | |
| X (Twitter) | @philcollinsfeed |
Phil Collins’ wife history: Inside his love life journey
As of 2025, Phil Collins is not married. His most recent marriage was to Swiss national Orianne Cevey, which ended in 2020. Below is an overview of his known partners.
1. Andrea Bertorelli (1975–1980)
Source: Getty Images
Andrea Bertorelli is a Canadian actress and environmental activist who met Phil Collins when they were just 11 years old. They began dating at 14 but separated when her family moved to Canada.
Andrea and Phil Collins rekindled their relationship and tied the knot in 1975 when they were both 24. They made their home in England and raised two children together. Collins adopted Joely, Andrea’s daughter born in 1972, and they later had a son named Simon in 1976.
As Collins' music career grew, their family life suffered. In a 1994 interview with the Daily Express, Andrea reflected on how things had changed. She said that while Collins initially embraced family life, his focus soon shifted to his work.
When we were first married, Phil was content being a family man. But his priorities shifted from family to career. He left to go on tour the day after our son Simon was born.
In 1980, their marriage eventually ended in divorce. The breakup reportedly inspired Collins’ hit song In the Air Tonight. However, Andrea offered a different perspective in a 2015 interview with the Daily Mail, where she contested that narrative.
He's made a lot of money singing about the break-up of our marriage and his heartbreak, and he's never stopped to consider my feelings or those of our children.
Source: Getty Images
After the divorce, Andrea Bertorelli stepped away from the spotlight. She returned to public attention in 2016 when Phil Collins published his autobiography, which included personal stories about their past relationship. In response, Bertorelli issued a strong statement through Sky News, condemning how she was depicted in the book.
The book contains a number of wholly false statements about myself and my marriage to Phil, which have not only seriously damaged my reputation but have also caused me considerable distress.
Bertorelli took legal action against Collins, accusing him of defamation and character attacks. She claimed the memoir misrepresented their marriage and damaged her public image.
2. Jill Tavelman (1984–1996)
Source: Getty Images
Jill Tavelman is an American entrepreneur, former school teacher, and trained architect. She met Phil Collins in 1981 during his Genesis tour. The couple tied the knot in 1984 and welcomed a daughter, Collins, on 18 March 1989. Lily is an actress and has starred in Emily in Paris, The Blind Side, Love, Rosie, and Tolkien.
By the early 1990s, the marriage between Jill and Phil had begun to unravel. Collins had become a self-described "workaholic" and spent long periods away on tour. Jill reflected on this in the aforementioned 1994 Daily Express interview, saying:
When we married I thought he would want to spend more time at home, but the reality isn't like that... he's a workaholic.
In 1992, Collins reportedly rekindled a relationship with his former fiancée, Lavinia Lang, while on a world tour with Genesis. This alleged affair played a significant role in the breakdown of the marriage.
Source: Getty Images
The American businesswoman also revealed that Collins preferred to communicate with their young daughter Lily via fax instead of phone calls, explaining he needed "to save his voice for the next show". The couple officially separated in 1994.
The divorce was legally finalised in 1996, and Collins paid Tavelman a £17 million settlement. In Lily's autobiography Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, Phil’s daughter opened up about the emotional challenges she faced after her parents parted ways;
My life felt out of control. I couldn't handle the pain and confusion surrounding my dad’s divorce [from Orianne] and I was having a hard time balancing being a teenager with pursuing two grown-up careers [modelling and acting] – which focused heavily on how I looked.
3. Orianne Cevey (1999–2006; 2016–2020)
Source: Getty Images
Orianne Cevey is a Swiss jewellery designer who met Phil Collins in 1994 at the age of 22. At the time, she worked as his French-language translator while he was still married to Jill Tavelman.
They tied the knot in 1999 and had two sons—Nicholas, born 21 April 2001, now a talented drummer, and Matthew, born 1 December 2004, who enjoys football. The family lived mainly in Switzerland.
In 2006, the couple decided to call it quits, with Cevey describing their split calmly, telling The Gazette:
Our interests were not the same anymore... separation was best.
The divorce, finalised in 2008, made headlines for its scale. Collins paid her £25 million ($47 million), setting a UK showbiz record. After the split, Cevey married Swiss banker Charles Mejjati in 2008 but later divorced him.
Source: Getty Images
In 2016, Collins left longtime girlfriend Dana Tyler and rekindled his relationship with Cevey. The reunion attracted public attention. Speaking to SonntagsBlick, she admitted;
The separation [from Phil] was the wrong decision... I now call Phil my husband again.
Though they spoke of remarrying, it never happened. In 2020, the relationship collapsed after Cevey secretly married 32-year-old Thomas Bates while Collins was on tour.
She reportedly moved Bates into Collins' $40 million Miami mansion and hired private security to keep Collins out. Collins responded by filing for eviction. Cevey filed a counterclaim demanding an additional $20 million (£14.7 million).
Eventually, Collins regained control of his home. Cevey and Bates moved to a Fort Lauderdale mansion, but later divorced. Reflecting on her years with Collins, she told Radar Online:
It's sad, we're talking about 26 years of being together as husband and wife, friends, living together. I spent more than half of my life with him. We shared so many moments together. We have great children together.
4. Dana Tyler (2006–2015)
Source: Getty Images
Dana Tyler is an American television news anchor. She met Phil Collins in 2006 during a Broadway Tarzan press event. Phil Collins and Tyler dated quietly for about a decade. Tyler was in a relationship with Collins from 2006 until 2015.
Their relationship ended around the time Collins reunited with Orianne Cevey in 2016. After splitting from Collins, Tyler returned to her journalism career. Phil Collins' ex-wife remained at WCBS-TV in New York for several years until she finally retired in 2024.
FAQs
- Who is Phil Collins? Phil Collins is a British drummer, singer-songwriter, and record producer.
- How old is Phil Collins? The British drummer is 74 years old as of 2025.
- What happened between Phil Collins and his wife? Phil Collins’ marriages ended due to infidelity, work pressures, and personal differences, leading to highly publicised divorces.
- How many divorces did Phil Collins have? Phil Collins has had three divorces.
- Who is Phil Collins’ wife, Jill? Jill Tavelman is Phil Collins’ second wife, an American businesswoman and mother to actress Lily Collins.
- Who are Phil Collins' ex-wives? Phil Collins' ex-wives are Andrea Bertorelli, Jill Tavelman, and Orianne Cevey.
- Is Phil Collins still with Oriana Cevey? Phil Collins and Orianne Cevey split for the second time in 2020.
Phil Collins has experienced three marriages and three divorces, with each relationship drawing public interest. From his teenage romance with Andrea Bertorelli to marriages with Jill Tavelman and Orianne Cevey, Phil Collins’ love life has attracted public attention.
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