40 Facts About Richard Coles

Richard Coles first came to prominence as the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band the Communards.

Richard Coles is the chancellor of the University of Northampton, a former honorary chaplain to the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers, and a patron of social housing project Greatwell Homes in Wellingborough.

Richard Coles struggled under Coles's father, and the family lost much of its wealth.

Richard Coles was educated at the independent Wellingborough School, and at the South Warwickshire College of Further Education in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Richard Coles later attended King's College London, where he studied Theology from 1990.

Richard Coles was awarded an MA by research from the University of Leeds in 2005 for work on the Greek text of the Epistle to the Ephesians.

Richard Coles learned to play the saxophone, clarinet and keyboards, and moved to London in 1980, where he played in theatre.

Somerville left Bronski Beat, and in 1985 he and Richard Coles formed the Communards, who were together for just over three years and had three UK top 10 hits, including the biggest-selling single of 1986, a version of "Don't Leave Me This Way", which was at number one for four weeks.

Richard Coles provided narration for the Style Council's film JerUSAlem in 1987 and started a career as a writer, particularly with the Times Literary Supplement and the Catholic Herald.

Richard Coles took up religion in his late twenties, after "the best of times, the worst of times", pop success and the deaths of friends as a result of HIV.

Richard Coles was selected for training for the priesthood in the Church of England and began his training at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 2003, before being ordained in 2005.

Richard Coles has been chaplain of the Royal Academy of Music, played Dr Frank N Furter in a local concert and conducted an atheist funeral for Mo Mowlam in 2005.

Richard Coles was an inspiration for the character of Adam Smallbone in BBC Two sitcom Rev and was an advisor to the show.

In January 2011, Richard Coles was appointed as the vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon in the Diocese of Peterborough.

Since 2011, Richard Coles has been on the board of Wellingborough Homes, a social enterprise providing housing and community support for the Borough of Wellingborough and, after its name change to Greatwell Homes, became its Patron.

In 2012, Richard Coles was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Northampton and became a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

In July 2017, Richard Coles was elected a Fellow of King's College London and separately as Chancellor of the University of Northampton.

Richard Coles retired as vicar of Finedon on Low Sunday 2022.

In 2022, Murder Before Evensong was optioned for a television adaptation, with Richard Coles serving as an executive producer.

Richard Coles has appeared on the Radio 4 panel game show Heresy twice: first in May 2008 and then in May 2010.

Richard Coles has appeared seven times as a guest on the topical television news quiz Have I Got News for You: in 1994, May 2009, May 2013, April 2016, June 2017, April 2020 and May 2021.

Richard Coles presented a special edition of Songs of Praise in January 2010.

Richard Coles regularly guest-hosted the Radio 4 programme Saturday Live, while the regular host Fi Glover was on maternity leave from 2008 to 2009.

In December 2012, December 2013 and November 2014, Richard Coles appeared as a guest on the BBC comedy quiz show QI.

In July 2016, Richard Coles appeared on the BBC cooking series Celebrity Masterchef, finishing in fifth place.

From September 2017, Richard Coles was a contestant in the 15th series of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

Richard Coles was captain of a team from the University of Leeds who were series champions on the BBC's Christmas 2019 University Challenge.

In December 2020 Richard Coles was featured in the BBC series Winter Walks, walking from Sutton Bank to Rievaulx Abbey.

Richard Coles appeared in a January 2021 episode of the BBC Four series Britain's Lost Masterpieces, discussing the story of the Magi in the gospels, in relation to a portrayal of Balthazar by Joos van Cleve.

From 7 to 11 November 2022 Richard Coles guest-hosted Channel 4's game show Countdown as part of its 40th-anniversary celebrations.

On 22 March 2023, The Guardian reported that Richard Coles was disappointed to be leaving the BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live programme following that week's edition, due to the programme's relocation to Cardiff.

From 21 November 2024, Richard Coles was a contestant on the 2024 series of I'm a Celebrity.

Richard Coles first came out as gay to his mother, in 1978, when he was 16.

In 2007, Richard Coles began a relationship with David Oldham, who was an Anglican priest.

Richard Coles asserted at the time that the relationship was celibate, but later said that this had not been true, but he had to promise celibacy in order to maintain his job as a vicar.

David Richard Coles died in December 2019, with Richard Coles stating in 2024 that he died from Alcoholic liver disease.

Richard Coles said he had received hate mail saying that his partner is in hell.

Richard Coles is a member of the Gaelic Athletic Association, having become enthusiastic about GAA sports through watching the 2020 TV series Normal People.

Family ties led to Richard Coles selecting Cork as his county and St Finbarr's as his club.

Richard Coles moved to Friston, East Sussex, in May 2022 to be closer to his friend and former manager Lorna Gradden.