Phil Collins Splits from Ex-Wife Orianne for a Second Time, Sends Eviction Notice: Reports
Phil Collins is reportedly taking steps to evict ex-wife Orianne from his Florida mansion.
The “In the Air Tonight” singer, 69, originally split from Orianne, 46, in 2006 after six years of marriage, and the two reconciled 10 years later, entering a relationship again after she divorced investment banker Charles Mejjati. Collins reportedly paid Orianne, a jewelry designer, $46.68 million in their 2008 divorce.
Now, TMZ reports, Collins and Orianne — who share sons Nicholas, 19, and Matthew, 15 — have called it quits again, and she allegedly refuses to vacate their home.
The outlet claims Orianne married another man in August after telling Collins she was taking a business trip to Las Vegas. Citing sources close to the musician, TMZ said Collins gave Orianne until Friday afternoon to pack her bags and leave, but she refused and allegedly threatened him to renegotiate their divorce settlement. The outlet also reported that Collins intends to file an eviction lawsuit this week.
A rep for Collins had no comment. Orianne’s attorney, Frank Maister, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Maister said in a statement to The Sun: “We will deal with Mr. Collins in the courthouse, not the gossip column.”
Back in February 2016, Collins confirmed to PEOPLE that he and Orianne resumed their relationship, explaining that it “wasn’t something we wanted to make a song and dance about.”
“But obviously when you have children, there’s two ways you can go. You can go the nasty way or you can go the nice way, and we always went the nice way … and we realized we missed each other,” he added at the time.
Addressing whether they planned to tie the knot again, Collins said at the time that a marriage re-do was “not impossible, it just hasn’t been discussed.”
“We are still enjoying living in a house together and changing light bulbs,” said the former Genesis drummer, as Orianne added: “We are back together, we are very happy and time will tell as far as the future – who knows?”
The pair also told PEOPLE that their two sons were “over the moon” about their reunion.
“Matthew was saying it was his wish for his birthday. He was born on the first of December and he said, ‘Oh, my wish came true,’” said Orianne at the time.
One element that likely brought the duo closer together was their mutual health struggles. After a spinal operation in 2014 left Orianne partially paralyzed, Collins came to Switzerland to care for their children, at which point Orianne (who has since regained mobility) said her ex was, “great supporting me through months of agony.” Collins previously said: “[The children] needed one of us. Now they’ve got both of us whether they like it or not.”
Collins has also dealt with his own health issues over the years. In 2017, the artist fell while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, where he hit his head on a chair, according to a post on his Facebook page at the time. Collins required stitches for a “severe gash on his head close to his eye.” He was held at the hospital for 24 hours for observation.
The singer also underwent back surgery in 2015 and revealed that the nerve damage and multiple foot fractures left him feeling like he’s walking “on sticks.”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be fit enough to play the drums again on tour,” said Collins of his health in 2017. “My left arm has changed – it’s a neural thing. The back surgery I had was great – I mean, how good can surgery be? But it was problem-free. But then when I was recovering on crutches, I fell and fractured my foot. When I recovered from foot surgery, I fell again and fractured another part of the same foot. My right foot now is completely numb.”
