Former pop-star and the Church of England vicar, Reverend Richard Coles recently joined the 2024 season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! as a late arrival.
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Known for his multifaceted career, Richard first found fame in the 1980s as a part of a famous pop band The Communards.
Over the years, he has shifted his career from rock and pop to being a clergyman. The 63-year-old has now travelled to the Australian jungle as he tries something new in life. He has joined the likes of Danny Jones, Oti Mabuse, Coleen Rooney, Dean McCullough and more.
Who is Reverend Richard Coles?
According to The Sun, Richard was born in Northamptonshire on March 26, 1962. He studied theology at King's College London and later got an MA from the University of Leeds.
He was appointed vicar at St Mary the Virgin in Finedon, Northamptonshire in 2011. But before transitioning into religious ministry, he was a pop star. Richard initially found fame as a member of The Communards - a band he formed with his friend Jimmy Somerville in 1984.
As a pop star, he led a rock ‘n’ roll life and admitted to having a separate bank account for paying his drug dealers. Talking about the money he spent on drugs, he once said:
How much have I spent on drugs in my life? Well, more than a clergyman should.
After attending a mass at St Albans church in central London in 1990, Richard was ‘inspired’ by a newfound faith and changed his career. However, he retired as a clergyman in 2022 as he couldn’t accept the way the Church of England approached homosexuality.
Even while he was a clergyman, the reverend was active in showbiz having been on shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity MasterChef. He was also the host of BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live.
Now, he's taking on the jungle and is facing the most gruelling challenges, despite having gone through a spine surgery only a year ago. Indeed, in 2023 he revealed to his fans that he was hospitalised after an emergency spine surgery. He said, as quoted by The Sun:
Felt a tad woozy next thing I knew I was in recovery with an upgraded spine (not illustrated) having a lovely dream about dirigibles.
Even through tough moments like his recovery, Richard Coles has always kept an upbeat persona. However a few years ago, he had to deal with a devastating tragedy.
The death of Reverend Richard Coles’ husband
Like many other celebrities who lost the love of their lives, Reverend Coles also lost his husband Reverend David Coles at the age of 43 in 2019 - 9 years after their marriage. In the aftermath of the incident, Richard revealed a part of him had been ‘destroyed’ with the death of his husband, reports MailOnline.
David's death was the result of complications related to his struggles with alcoholism. Speaking about the loss in 2022, Richard shared:
I was absolutely with David through thick and thin, and I was with him till the very end.
If you really love someone, part of you is destroyed when they die. I don't want to pretend that's not the case. I sometimes feel the tension that I will leave him behind. And I would never have left him behind. I feel a tinge of disloyalty in living more life without him.
Before David’s death, Richard lived with him and their 4 dogs in the vicarage of St Mary's in Finedon.
Since David’s death, the former BBC Radio host has found love with actor Dickie Cant. He met Dickie on a dating app and the two have been enjoying a steady stable relationship.
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Sources used:
The Sun: Who is Rev Richard Coles and is he married?
The Sun: I’m A Celeb star Richard Cole’s life changing surgery that could make life in jungle camp HELL
Daily Mail: How I'm A Celebrity's Reverend Richard Coles was 'destroyed' by his husband's death from alcoholism aged 43
