Reverend Richard Coles' secret pop star past unveiled in epic photos

Outside of his work as a priest and TV personality, I'm A Celebrity contestant Rev. Richard Coles has an unexpected pop star past. He was part of a two-man band that scored massive hits in the 1980s.

Reverend Richard Coles is a priest, broadcaster and well-known media personality.

Long before his career in the church, he was a pop star in the 1980s -best known for his time with the iconic band The Communards. The band was formed by Coles and Jimmy Somerville after the break-up of their previous group, Bronski Beat. Coles played keyboards and was the co-writer of some of the band’s biggest hits. The Communards are best known for their chart-topping hit Don’t Leave Me This Way (1986), which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

The Communards also scored hits with their version of Never Can Say Goodbye, another disco classic, which reached No. 4 in the UK, and So Cold the Night, a more melancholic song that showcased their emotional range. The band's debut album, Communards (1986), featured these hits and solidified their place in the pop world. It was followed by their second album, Red (1987), which introduced a more experimental sound, incorporating elements of house music and deeper political themes.

The band’s music was not only known for its danceable beats but also for its bold statements on LGBTQ+ rights, with both Coles and Somerville openly identifying as gay at a time when such visibility was groundbreaking. The Communards released two successful albums, but after their breakup in 1988, Coles turned his focus to a completely different path, leaving behind his pop star life to pursue the priesthood and a career in broadcasting.

The band disbanded in 1988, and Coles eventually shifted his focus to religious life and public service. After leaving the pop music scene, Coles trained for the priesthood, ultimately becoming an Anglican priest. He was ordained in 2005 and has since become known for his work as a vicar, broadcaster, and media personality. He served as a priest at St. Mary’s Church in Finedon, Northamptonshire, for several years and later became the vicar of St. Paul's Church in the heart of the King's Cross area in London.

Richard has used his platform to discuss faith, mental health, and LGBTQ+ issues, often bringing a sense of humor and approachability to his role as a priest. Richard is best recognized for his regular role on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live, a program where he talks about life, religion, and current events. He has also appeared on numerous TV programs and has become a favorite guest on panel shows like Have I Got News for You and QI. Richard has even appeared as a guest on shows like Celebrity MasterChef, Countdown, and made a brief appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.

The star joined the 2024 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! as a late starter last week, entering the Australian jungle to meet a diverse group of celebrities, including Tulisa Contostavlos of N-Dubz, Coleen Rooney, and Danny Jones from McFly. In the most recent Bushtucker Trial, fans were shocked to learn that both Richard and Tulisa were exempt from the challenge. While Tulisa was medically exempt due to the trial’s height-related elements, Richard revealed his reason in an interview with The Mirror before entering the jungle.

He told us: "I actually froze with fear on a stepladder the other day on the second rung up. Anything up high. So anything which means walking from a horrible rickety tightrope or something, that will be scary." His comments mean it is likely the he was excluded from the vote due to the crippling fear, but it's yet to be confirmed whether he has been officially diagnosed with Acrophobia.

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