Music legends Phil Collins and Sir Paul McCartney have officially squashed their 24-year feud following a recent personal phone conversation, ending decades of bad blood that originally stemmed from a tense encounter in 2002.

Appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored on October 2, 2026, the 75-year-old Genesis star detailed how the rift began during rehearsals for the Queen’s Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. When Collins presented a rare first edition of a Beatles biography for a signature, McCartney made a condescending comment to his then-wife Heather Mills, asking, “He’s a big Beatles fan, is our little Phil?” The remark deeply offended Collins, who publicly recounted the story while promoting his 2016 memoir Not Dead Yet, leading to years of back-and-forth tension.

However, the estrangement came to an unexpected end when the 84-year-old Beatles icon called Collins directly after learning the drummer was gathering memorabilia from fellow musicians for a King’s Trust charity auction. During the phone call, McCartney addressed the rift head-on, asking what the feud was about and stating he thought they were on good terms.

Reflecting on the phone call, Collins revealed that he apologized directly to McCartney:

“I said, ‘I wish I’d never said it, Paul. I wish I’d never said it.'”

While confirming they kissed and made up, Collins noted that the issue had clearly been bugging the former Beatle, adding that McCartney simply likes to be liked. Speaking also to the Sunday Times, Collins expressed relief that the long-running feud had come full circle, confirming that the two legendary artists have officially put the past behind them.

Source: Compiled from various sources.