Wikipedia

Richard Coles

For the British civil servant, seeRichard Coles (civil servant).

Richard Keith Robert ColesFRSAFKC(born 26 March 1962)[1]is an English writer, radio presenter andChurch of Englandpriest. He first came to prominence as the multi-instrumentalist who partneredJimmy Somervillein the 1980s bandthe Communards.They achieved three UKtop ten hits,including the No. 1 record and best-selling single of 1986, a dance version of "Don't Leave Me This Way".

The Reverend
Richard Coles
FRSAFKC
Coles in 2014
Born
Richard Keith Robert Coles

(1962-03-26)26 March 1962(age 62)
Northampton,England
Education
PartnerDavid Oldham (d.2019)
ReligionAnglicanism
ChurchChurch of England
Ordained2005
Congregations served
Offices held
Websitewww.richardcoles.comEdit this at Wikidata

Coles frequently appears on radio and television as well as in newspapers and, from March 2011 until March 2023, was the co-host ofBBC Radio 4'sSaturday Liveprogramme.[2]He is a regular contributor toQI,Would I Lie to You?andHave I Got News for You.[3]He is an author, the chancellor of theUniversity of Northampton,a former honorary chaplain to theWorshipful Company of Leathersellers,and a patron of social housing project Greatwell Homes inWellingborough.

Early life

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Coles was born inNorthampton,England. His grandfather was a prosperous shoe manufacturer. The company failed under Coles's father, because of the increasing popularity of cheaper foreign imports, and the family lost much of their wealth.

He was educated at the independentWellingborough School(where he was a choirboy),[4]and at theSouth Warwickshire College of Further Education(Department of Drama & the Liberal Arts) inStratford-upon-Avon.He later attendedKing's College London,where he studied theology from 1990.[4]Coles was awarded an MA by research from theUniversity of Leedsin 2005 for work on the Greek text of theEpistle to the Ephesians.[5]

Musical career

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Coles learned to play thesaxophone,clarinetand keyboards and moved to London in 1980, where he played in theatre.[4]In 1983, he appeared withJimmy Somervillein the Lesbian and Gay Youth Video Project filmFramed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts,[6]which won theGrierson Award.[7]Coles joinedBronski Beat(initially on saxophone) in 1983.[citation needed]

Somerville left Bronski Beat and in 1985 he and Coles formedthe Communards,[8][4]who were together for just over three years and had three UKtop 10hits, including the biggest-selling single of 1986, a version of "Don't Leave Me This Way",which was at number one for four weeks.[9]The band split in 1988 and Somerville went solo.

Post-music career and church ministry

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The Church of St Mary the Virgin,Finedon,Northamptonshire

Coles provided narration forthe Style Council's filmJerUSAlemin 1987[10]and also started a career as a writer, particularly with theTimes Literary Supplementand theCatholic Herald.He 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 ofHIV.[11]From 1991 to 1994 he studied for a BA in theology atKing's College London.While at university, Coles became aRoman Catholicand remained so for the next ten years before returning toAnglicanismin 2001.[12]

Coles was selected for training for thepriesthoodin theChurch of Englandand began his training at theCollege of the Resurrection,Mirfield,West Yorkshire,in 2003, before beingordainedin 2005.[13][4]After ordination, he was acurateatSt Botolph's ChurchinBoston, Lincolnshireand then atSt Paul's Church, Knightsbridgein London.[14][1]He has been chaplain of theRoyal Academy of Music,playedDr Frank N Furterin a local concert and conducted anatheistfuneral forMo Mowlamin 2005.[4][15][16]

Coles was an inspiration for the character of Adam Smallbone (played byTom Hollander) inBBC TwositcomRev.and was also an advisor to the show.[17]Coles mentions in his bookFathomless Richesthat he is also the inspiration for the character "Tom" in theBridget Jonesnovels.[18]In January 2011, Coles was appointed as the vicar of St Mary the Virgin,Finedonin theDiocese of Peterborough.[19]

Coles speaking atGreenbelt Festival,2012

Since 2011, Coles has been on the board of Wellingborough Homes, a social enterprise providing housing and community support for theBorough of Wellingboroughand, after its name change to Greatwell Homes, became its Patron.[20]In 2012, Coles was awarded an honorary doctorate by theUniversity of Northamptonand also became a fellow of theRoyal Society of Arts.In 2016, he was awarded an honoraryDLittby theUniversity of Warwick.In 2019 he was appointed Honorary Chaplain to theWorshipful Company of Leathersellers.[21][22]

In July 2017, Coles was elected a Fellow ofKing's College Londonand separately as Chancellor of theUniversity of Northampton.

Coles retired as vicar of Finedon onLow Sunday2022. Looking back on his time as a "half-time vicar", he said: "'How do you do all the things you do?' I am frequently asked, and the answer is by neglecting important things and disappointing people. I was once called in the middle of the night to attend a parishioner's deathbed and I could not because I was in Glasgow doingCelebrity Antiques Road Trip.I found someone to cover, but it should have been me. "He explained:" I will still be a priest, I will always be a priest, and I will minister where I am able. Next month I am going to my first conference of prison chaplains and I hope I can make myself useful as a volunteer with inmates in the criminal justice system. "[23]

In April 2022, Coles announced that he retired from parish duties due to theChurch of Englandallegedly increasingly excluding gay couples, and what he described as its "conservative, punchy and fundamentalist" direction.[24]

Writing

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On 1 November 2012 (All Saints' Day), Darton, Longman and Todd published Coles's book,Lives of the Improbable Saints,illustrated by Ted Harrison, a précis of the life stories of nearly 200 lesser-known saints. The following year volume two,Legends of the Improbable Saints,was published.

In 2014, the first volume of his memoirs,Fathomless Riches,was published byWeidenfeld & Nicolson.In 2016 a follow-up volume,Bringing in the Sheaves,was published.

In June 2022, Coles's debutmystery novelMurder Before Evensongwas released. It is the first in a series about Canon Daniel Clement.[25]The sequel,A Death In The Parish,was published on 8 June 2023.[26]The first book has been optioned for a television adaptation, with Coles serving as an executive producer.[27][28]

In 2023, Coles signed a deal withW&Nto write three more Canon Clement books. The first of these,Murder at the Monasterywas released in June 2024.[29][28]

Broadcasting and media career

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Coles still works as a broadcaster, which he describes as "just showing off",[30]includingNightwaveson Radio 3, which he formerly presented, andNewsnight Reviewon BBC Two. He has appeared on the Radio 4 panel game showHeresytwice; first in May 2008 and then in May 2010.[31] Coles has appeared seven times as a guest on the topical television news quizHave I Got News for You,in 1994, May 2009, May 2013, April 2016, June 2017, April 2020 and May 2021. He presented a special edition ofSongs of Praisein January 2010.[1]He was a guest on theChildren in Needspecial of the BBC quizOnly Connectin November of the same year. In 2011, he presented a four-part Radio 3 series calledOut in the World: A Global Gay History.

He regularly guest-hosted the Radio 4 programmeSaturday Live,while the regular hostFi Gloverwas on maternity leave from 2008 to 2009. Coles replaced Glover permanently in 2011. On 1 September 2011, he presented a short piece on his home town and parish of Finedon for the Radio 4 programmeYou and Yours.In December 2012, December 2013 and November 2014, Coles appeared as a guest on the BBC comedy quiz showQI.In January 2014, he won the BBC'sCelebrity Mastermind,with his specialist subject being theMapp and Lucianovels ofE. F. Benson.

Coles featured as the subject ofFern Britton Meets...on BBC1 in December 2014. Since 2014 he has appeared regularly in the "Pause for Thought" slot on Radio 2'sThe Chris Evans Breakfast Show,for which he won a Jerusalem Award in 2014.[32]

In July 2016, Coles appeared on the BBC cooking seriesCelebrity Masterchef,finishing in fifth place. In December 2021, he once again appeared on the programme, this time winning the edition.[33]In February 2017, he co-presentedThe Big Painting ChallengewithMariella Frostrupon BBC1. From September 2017, Coles was a contestant in the15th seriesof BBC'sStrictly Come Dancing.He was paired with professional dancerDianne Buswell.They were the second couple to be eliminated after scoring 14 points for theirPaso Dobleto the theme fromFlash Gordon– at the time, the lowest scoring Paso Doble in the history of the show.[34]

On 18 December 2017, Coles was a guest panellist onthe Christmas special of the eleventh seriesof BBC1 comedy quizWould I Lie to You?,hosted byRob Brydon.Coles was captain of a team from theUniversity of Leedswho were series champions on the BBC'sChristmas 2019 University Challenge.[35][36]In December 2020 Coles was featured in the BBC seriesWinter Walks,walking fromSutton BanktoRievaulx Abbey.[37]He said, "At the centre of what we do in order to be who we are, we need silence, we need retreat, we need contemplation."[38]

Coles appeared in a January 2021 episode of theBBC FourseriesBritain's Lost Masterpieces,discussing the story of theMagiin the gospels, in relation to a portrayal ofBalthazarbyJoos van Cleve.[39]

In August 2022, Coles appeared in theChannel 4documentaryGood Grief with Reverend Richard Coles,discovering some of the different ways people deal with bereavement.[40]

From 7 to 11 November 2022 Coles guest hostedChannel 4's game showCountdownas part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.

On 22 March 2023,The Guardianreported that Coles was disappointed to be leaving the BBC Radio 4Saturday Liveprogramme following that week's edition, due to the programme's relocation toCardiff.[41]

From 20 November, Coles was a contestant on the 2024 series ofI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[42]

Personal life

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Richard Coles firstcame outas gay to his mother, in 1978, when he was 16. He played her theTom Robinson Band's "Glad to Be Gay"four times, before she said" Darling, are you trying to tell me something? "[43]Coles has spoken about the "mental crisis" that he suffered following his coming out, which ultimately led to him attemptingsuicideand being diagnosed withclinical depression.[44]

Coles suffers fromtinnitusin his right ear, the result of his performing loud pop music, which he described in 2020 as sounding "like something from theNational Gridkind of powering through your ear... can be very frustrating. "[37]

In 2007, Coles began a relationship with David Oldham, who was also an Anglican priest.[45][46]In 2010, the couple entered into a civil partnership (which the Church of England has allowed clergy to do since 2005[47]), with David taking Richard's surname.[48]Coles asserted at the time that the relationship wascelibate,[45]but later said that this had not been true, but he had to promise celibacy in order to maintain his job as a vicar.[49]David Coles died in December 2019,[50]with Coles stating in 2024 that he died fromAlcoholic liver disease[51].Coles said he had received hate mail saying that his partner is in hell.[52]

In June 2023 Coles revealed that he was in a relationship with actorRichard Cant.[53]

Coles's older brother, Andy, a formerMetropolitan Policeofficer, was elected in 2015 as aConservativecouncillor in Peterborough and was appointed deputyCambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissionerin 2016. Following a reference to his earlier career as an undercover police officer in Coles's 2014 autobiography, he resigned as deputy commissioner over allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a political activist.[54][55]The relationship was part of a widerUK undercover policing relationships scandalin this period.[54]

Coles is a member of theLabour Party.[56]He is also a member of theGaelic Athletic Association(GAA), having become enthusiastic about GAA sports through watching the 2020 TV seriesNormal People.Family ties led to Coles selectingCorkas hiscounty(hurling team/football team) andSt Finbarr'sas his club. The club responded by sending him a membership card.[57]

Coles moved toFriston,East Sussex in May 2022 to be closer to his friend and former manager Lorna Gradden. He said "I'll be living in a charming 18th-century cottage with abow windowthat looms over the street affording a privileged view of my neighbours' comings and goings, as the scent of lavender floats across thevillage green."[58][59]

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In 1991, Coles sued accountants Coombes Wales Quinnell who allegedly had refused to hand over financial records until £30,000 fees were paid.[60]

Works

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Discography

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See also:Jimmy Somerville discography § Albums

Bibliography

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Non-fiction

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  • Lives of the Improbable Saints(illustrated by Ted Harrison, Darton, Longman & Todd, 2012,ISBN978-0-232-52955-5)
  • Legends of the Improbable Saints(illustrated by Ted Harrison, Darton, Longman & Todd, 2013,ISBN978-0-232-53002-5)
  • Fathomless Riches: Or How I Went From Pop to Pulpit(W&N,2014,ISBN978-0-297-87030-2)
  • Bringing in the Sheaves: Wheat and Chaff from My Years as a Priest(W&N, 2016,ISBN978-0-297-60988-9)
  • Coles to Jerusalem: A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Reverend Richard Coles(Pallas Athene,2016,ISBN978-184-3-68143-4)
  • The Madness of Grief: A Memoir of Love and Loss(W&N, 2021,ISBN978-1-474-61962-2).
  • The Rabbit Hole Book.With:Charles Spencer& Cat Jarman. (Michael Joseph, 2024,ISBN978-0-241-68486-3).

Fiction

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Canon Clement Mysteries

  • Murder Before Evensong(W&N,2022)
  • A Death in the Parish(W&N, 2023)
  • Murder at the Monastery(W&N, 2024)
  • Murder Under the Mistletoe(W&N, 2024)

Honours

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Scholastic

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Chancellor, visitor, governor and fellowships

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Location Date School Position
England 2017 – University of Northampton Chancellor
England July 2017 – King's College London Fellow (FKC)
England Royal Academy of Music Chaplain

Honorary degrees

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Location Date School Degree Gave Commencement Address
England 2012 University of Northampton Doctorate
England 2016 University of Warwick Doctor of Letters(D.Litt.)

Memberships and fellowships

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Country Date Organisation Position
United Kingdom 2012 – Royal Society of Arts Fellow (FRSA)
United Kingdom 2019 – Worshipful Company of Leathersellers Honorary Chaplain

References

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  1. ^abcColes, Richard (6 December 2009)."My week: Richard Coles".The Observer.London.Retrieved17 June2010.
  2. ^"Changes to BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live"(Press release). BBC s.Retrieved18 March2011.
  3. ^"An Evening with Rev. Richard Coles".St Ives Cornwall.Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2020.Retrieved28 March2020.
  4. ^abcdef"Newsnight Review – Richard Coles".BBC News.6 March 2008.Retrieved17 June2010.
  5. ^Richard Coles (2005).Fathomless riches?: the United Bible Societies' Greek text of the Epistle to the Ephesians(MA thesis).University of Leeds.
  6. ^"Jimmy Somerville – Biography".JimmySomerville.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 1 August 2010.Retrieved17 June2010.
  7. ^"Framed Youth Revenge of the Teenage Perverts (1983)".BFI: Film & TV Database. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2009.Retrieved17 June2010.
  8. ^Colin Larkin,ed. (1997).The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music(Concise ed.).Virgin Books.p. 293.ISBN1-85227-745-9.
  9. ^Pelley, Rich (10 January 2022)."'No Jacket Required would be the soundtrack of hell': the Rev Richard Coles's honest playlist ".The Guardian.Retrieved7 February2022.
  10. ^"Reverend Richard Coles".JLA.Retrieved17 June2010.
  11. ^Coles, Richard (6 March 1994)."Real Life: In the end, a certain grace: Richard Coles, a pop musician, decided that he could be a Christian, despite its 'untrendiness'. Then a friend's death tested his faith".The Independent.London.Retrieved17 June2010.
  12. ^Henley, Jon (22 September 2011)."Rev Richard Coles: 'I'm the go-to gay'".The Guardian.London.Retrieved19 November2014.
  13. ^"Church Times – More Petertide ordinations".Church Times.London.Retrieved17 June2010.
  14. ^"Christmas for Richard".BBC.Retrieved17 June2010.
  15. ^"Richard Coles on the best musical motifs of all time".The Guardian.London. 22 July 2008.Retrieved17 June2010.
  16. ^Morgan, Christopher; Delmar-Morgan, Alex (20 August 2006)."Holy downshifters swell vicars' ranks".The Times.London.Retrieved17 June2010.[dead link‍]
  17. ^Mirror news (28 June 2010)."More BBC vicar? Popstar Reverend Richard Coles inspires sitcom".Daily Mirror.London.
  18. ^McCaffrey, Julie (18 December 2020)."Bridget Jones's Diary secrets you may not know - from rumoured feud to real diary".Daily Mirror.London.
  19. ^Gyle, Rev. Alan (11 January 2011)."Fr Richard to move to New Parish"(PDF).StPaulsKnightsbridge.org. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 12 March 2012.Retrieved24 January2011.
  20. ^"Revd Richard Coles".Greatwellhomes.org.uk.
  21. ^"Rev".Leathersellers.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 2 December 2019.Retrieved2 December2019.
  22. ^Laughland, Dr Andrew (19 September 2019)."Was it a" shoe "in?".Twitter.com.
  23. ^Coles, Richard (17 April 2022)."The Rev Richard Coles on retirement and what comes next".The Times.London.Retrieved17 April2022.
  24. ^Swerling, Gabriella (17 April 2022)."Rev Richard Coles: Church of England increasingly 'excluding' gay couples".The Daily Telegraph.London. Archived fromthe originalon 17 April 2022.
  25. ^MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG.Hachette. 2022.ISBN9781474612630.Retrieved28 July2022– via hachette.co.uk.
  26. ^A DEATH IN THE PARISH.Hachette. 2023.ISBN9781474612630.Retrieved12 May2023– via hachette.co.uk.
  27. ^Brown, Lauren (24 June 2022)."Reverend Richard Coles' Murder Before Evensong optioned for TV".The Bookseller.Retrieved14 May2023.
  28. ^abLewis, Tim (16 March 2024)."The Rev Richard Coles: 'I think my CV looks like the work of a fantasist: Interview".The Guardian.Retrieved17 March2024.
  29. ^Brown, Lauren (2 October 2023)."W&N buys three more Canon Clement mysteries by Reverend Richard Coles".The Bookseller.Retrieved25 January2024.
  30. ^Stanford, Peter (10 January 2010)."Revved up: Richard Coles, a very modern vicar".The Independent.London.Retrieved17 June2010.
  31. ^"BBC Radio 4: Heresy".BBC.Retrieved5 September2010.
  32. ^"TBI Media:: Pause for Thought Wins at the 2014 Jerusalem Awards".tbimedia.co.uk.Retrieved8 October2017.
  33. ^"BBC iPlayer – Celebrity MasterChef – Christmas Cook-Off 2021: Episode 2".
  34. ^Hawkes, Rebecca (8 October 2017)."Strictly Come Dancing 2017 Movie Week results: Rev Richard Coles sent home after dance-off with Simon Rimmer".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved8 October2017.
  35. ^"University Challenge – Christmas 2019: 1. Leeds University v Clare College, Cambridge".BBC iPlayer.Retrieved8 January2020.
  36. ^Bethell, Karen (6 January 2020)."We won! Cromer scientist in top University Challenge team".Eastern Daily Press.Retrieved8 January2020.
  37. ^ab"Winter Walks".bbc.co.uk. 15 December 2021.Retrieved9 January2021..
  38. ^"Yorkshire's top winter walks to be revealed in new BBC Four TV showcase".www.yorkshirepost.co.uk.4 January 2021.Retrieved9 January2021.
  39. ^"Britain's Lost Masterpieces – Series 5: 1. Brighton"– via www.bbc.co.uk.
  40. ^"Good Grief with Reverend Richard Coles".channel4.com.Retrieved8 August2022.
  41. ^Duggins, Alexi (22 March 2023)."'It just feels a bit sad': the Rev Richard Coles disappointed at 'rushed' BBC Radio 4 exit ".The Guardian.Retrieved22 March2023.
  42. ^https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/reverend-richard-coles-im-a-celebrity-2024-contestant/
  43. ^"NMP Live Meets The Reverend Richard Coles - Exclusive Interview".Nmplive.co.uk.Retrieved9 May2019.
  44. ^Godfrey, Chris (9 March 2020)."'My life is not over. But it feels like it is sometimes': the Rev Richard Coles on losing his partner ".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved4 May2020.
  45. ^abStrudwick, Patrick (13 October 2014)."Richard Coles: My journey from pop star to celibate vicar".The Independent.London.
  46. ^Craig, Olga (3 April 2011)."Rev Richard Coles: from pop star to pulpit".The Daily Telegraph.London.
  47. ^"Gay cleric's 'wedding' to partner".News.bbc.co.uk.1 August 2006.Retrieved22 September2017.
  48. ^"Coles, Rev. Richard Keith Robert, (born 26 March 1962), Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon, since 2011".Who's Who 2021.Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020.Retrieved31 March2021.
  49. ^"HARDtalk - Reverend Richard Coles: Living with grief - BBC Sounds".
  50. ^Coles, Richard [@revrichardcoles] (17 December 2019)."I'm very sorry to say that @RevDavidColes has died. He had been ill for a while. Thanks to the brilliant teams who looked after him at @KettGeneral. Funeral details to follow." The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended ""(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  51. ^"Richard Coles opens up about grieving his late partner on I'm a Celebrity".The Independent.26 November 2024.Retrieved26 November2024.
  52. ^"'Your partner is in hell', Richard Coles told ".BBC News.19 December 2019.
  53. ^"Reverend Richard Coles opens up about finding new love three years after tragic death of husband".Pink News.1 June 2023.
  54. ^abEvans, Rob (12 May 2017)."Cambridgeshire deputy police commissioner facing calls to resign over spy allegations".The Guardian.Retrieved12 May2017.
  55. ^"Statement from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner".Cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk.Retrieved15 May2017.
  56. ^Richard Coles [@RevRichardColes] (13 December 2019)."Hello @jessphillips! Thanks to you, I did this today"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  57. ^"Britain's most famous vicar is GAA's newest member after watching Normal People".Hogan Stand.20 May 2020.Retrieved20 May2020.
  58. ^Donnelly, Luke; Fox, Thomas (3 May 2022)."TV vicar Richard Coles delighted with welcome to new Sussex home".sussexlive.Retrieved4 July2022.
  59. ^"'Best in the world' – celebrity vicar praises local bus route after move to Sussex ".The Argus.6 May 2022.
  60. ^Midem News – Newsfile
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