Is Phil Collins dying? Truth behind viral photo of Paul McCartney visiting artist

In early August 2025, social media lit up with a moving — and highly shareable — story. Posts claimed that Paul McCartney, the legendary bassist of The Beatles, made an unannounced visit to Genesis drummer and frontman Phil Collins, who was said to be hospitalized in London after battling severe health issues.

One Facebook post from the page Rock & Roll Universe painted a vivid picture: hospital corridors falling silent as McCartney arrived with his “same old guitar,” Collins opening his eyes to the sound of “Hey Jude,” nurses moved to tears, and the two men sharing an emotional moment “like a final love song between two legends.”

The post included what appeared to be photographic evidence:

• McCartney embracing Collins beside a hospital bed.

• The ex-Beatle strumming a guitar while Collins lay surrounded by medical staff.

The narrative was irresistible. Within days, it had racked up over 88,000 reactions and 16,000 shares on Facebook alone. It also spread on Instagram and was amplified by ad-heavy WordPress blogs designed to capture traffic from such “feel-good” stories.

Why the Story Felt Plausible

The emotional pull of this claim rested on two factors:

1. Existing public knowledge of Collins’ health struggles – Phil Collins has faced multiple health setbacks in recent years, including back surgeries and mobility issues. In July 2025, People magazine reported he was recovering from knee surgery.

2. The public’s nostalgia for classic rock icons – McCartney and Collins are beloved figures whose careers overlap in the public imagination, making the idea of a heartfelt musical reunion compelling.

But sentiment and plausibility are not the same as fact.

The Investigation

No Credible News Coverage

Snopes reporters searched Bing, Google, and DuckDuckGo for any credible coverage of the alleged visit. The results? Nothing from reputable news outlets.

Given the stature of both McCartney and Collins, such a meeting — especially if accompanied by a personal performance of “Hey Jude” — would almost certainly have been reported worldwide. The absence of any coverage was a major red flag.

AI-Generated Imagery

Closer analysis of the photographs accompanying the post revealed telltale signs of AI generation:

• Wrong-handed guitar playing: McCartney is famously left-handed, yet the image showed him holding the guitar as a right-hander would.

• Instrument inaccuracies: The guitar had only five strings instead of the standard six.

• Anatomical oddities: McCartney’s right hand appeared to have only three fingers and a thumb — a common glitch in AI image rendering.

  
  
  

• Stylistic inconsistencies: Lighting, depth, and texture mismatches between McCartney, Collins, and the background hinted at compositing rather than real photography.

Sightengine, an AI-detection tool, assessed one of the images and determined there was a 99% probability it had been AI-generated.

A Pattern of Fabricated Stories

The Rock & Roll Universe page has a history of sharing emotional but fictional posts about famous musicians. Snopes identified other examples, such as a similar “hospital bedside” image purportedly showing Bob Dylan visiting Collins. That image also displayed AI artifacts.

The style of these posts — long, sentimental narratives accompanied by fabricated imagery — fits the profile of what’s known as glurge: overly sentimental, inspirational stories presented as true but entirely made up.

Possible Motive: Clickbait and Ad Revenue

Snopes notes that posts like these often link to external websites that are stuffed with advertisements. The aim isn’t to misinform for political or malicious reasons but to draw clicks and keep readers on the page long enough to generate ad impressions.

The emotional nature of the content increases its virality, making it more likely to be shared — and therefore more profitable for the page owners.

Statements from Those Involved

• Phil Collins’ representatives: As of publication, they have not confirmed the alleged McCartney visit. People’s July 2025 report mentioned only his knee surgery recovery, with no mention of hospitalization in London or McCartney’s presence.

• Paul McCartney’s representatives: No public comment has been issued, but absence of corroboration from his team further undermines the claim.

• Rock & Roll Universe admin: Snopes contacted the page’s management for comment on its fictional posts but received no immediate response.

The Verdict

The claim that Paul McCartney visited Phil Collins in hospital to sing “Hey Jude” is false.
It originated from a sentimental, AI-enhanced social media fabrication, unsupported by credible reporting, and consistent with a pattern of “glurge” stories designed for clicks.

Source Attribution:

This fact-check is based on reporting from Snopes.com, “Paul McCartney Visits Phil Collins in Hospital to Sing ‘Hey Jude’?” (August 2025).