Richard Coles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richard Coles |
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_(cropped).jpg) Coles in 2014 |
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| Born | 26 March 1962 in Northampton, England |
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| Church | Church of England |
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| Ordained | 2005 |
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| Offices held |
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| Spouse | David Oldham (cp. 2010; died 2019) |
Richard Coles (born on March 26, 1962) is an English writer, radio host, and priest in the Church of England. He became famous in the 1980s as a musician in the band the Communards. With Jimmy Somerville, they had three songs in the UK top ten. Their biggest hit was "Don't Leave Me This Way" in 1986, which was number one.
Richard Coles often appears on radio and TV shows. He also writes for newspapers. From 2011 to 2023, he co-hosted the Saturday Live show on BBC Radio 4. He is a regular guest on popular TV shows like QI, Would I Lie to You?, and Have I Got News for You. He is also the chancellor of the University of Northampton.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Coles was born in Northampton, England. His family used to be very wealthy. His grandfather owned a shoe factory. However, the factory faced problems when cheaper shoes from other countries became popular. This caused his family to lose much of their money.
Coles went to Wellingborough School, which is a private school. He was a choirboy there. He also studied drama at the South Warwickshire College of Further Education in Stratford-upon-Avon. Later, in 1990, he studied theology at King's College London. In 2005, he earned a Master's degree from the University of Leeds.
Career Highlights
Music Career
Richard Coles learned to play the saxophone, clarinet, and keyboards. In 1980, he moved to London and played music for theatre shows. In 1983, he worked with Jimmy Somerville on a film called Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage .... This film won an award. Coles then joined the band Bronski Beat in 1983, playing the saxophone.
In 1985, Jimmy Somerville left Bronski Beat. He and Coles then formed their own band, the Communards. The band was together for about three years. They had three songs that reached the top 10 in the UK. Their most successful song was "Don't Leave Me This Way" in 1986. It was the best-selling single of that year and stayed at number one for four weeks. The Communards broke up in 1988, and Somerville started a solo career.
Church Ministry
After his music career, Coles started writing for newspapers like the Times Literary Supplement. He became interested in religion in his late twenties. He had experienced both great success and sad times, including losing friends. From 1991 to 1994, he studied theology at King's College London. During this time, he became a Roman Catholic. He remained Catholic for ten years before returning to Anglicanism in 2001.
Richard Coles decided to train to become a priest in the Church of England. He began his training in 2003 at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. He was ordained as a priest in 2005. After becoming a priest, he worked at St Botolph's Church, Boston and then at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge in London. He also became the chaplain of the Royal Academy of Music.
Coles helped inspire the character of Adam Smallbone in the BBC Two TV show Rev.. He also worked as an advisor for the show. In 2011, Coles became the vicar of St Mary the Virgin church in Finedon. He retired from his parish duties in 2022. He explained that he would still be a priest and help where he could, for example, by volunteering with people in the criminal justice system.
Writing Books
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In 2012, Richard Coles published a book called Lives of the Improbable Saints. This book shared stories about nearly 200 lesser-known saints. A second book, Legends of the Improbable Saints, came out the next year.
He also wrote two books about his own life. The first, Fathomless Riches, was published in 2014. The second, Bringing in the Sheaves, came out in 2016.
In 2022, Coles released his first mystery novel called Murder Before Evensong. This book is the start of a series about a character named Canon Daniel Clement. The next book in the series, A Death In The Parish, was published in 2023. His books are popular, and Murder Before Evensong is being made into a TV show.
Broadcasting and Media
Richard Coles continues to work as a broadcaster. He has appeared on many radio and TV shows. He was a guest on the news quiz Have I Got News for You seven times. He also presented a special episode of Songs of Praise. In 2011, he hosted a radio series called Out in the World: A Global Gay History.
He often filled in as a guest host for the Radio 4 show Saturday Live. In 2011, he became a permanent co-host of the show. He has also been a guest on the BBC comedy quiz show QI several times. In 2014, he won the BBC's Celebrity Mastermind quiz show. His special subject was the Mapp and Lucia novels.
In 2016, Coles appeared on the BBC cooking show Celebrity Masterchef. He came in fifth place. In 2021, he won a special edition of the show. In 2017, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, a popular dance competition. He was paired with professional dancer Dianne Buswell. They were the second couple to be eliminated from the competition.
Coles has appeared on other shows, including Would I Lie to You? and Winter Walks. In 2022, he appeared in a documentary called Good Grief with Reverend Richard Coles. This show explored different ways people deal with losing someone they love. In November 2022, he guest-hosted the game show Countdown. In 2024, Coles was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, finishing in third place.
Personal Life
Richard Coles first told his mother he was gay when he was 16 years old. He played her the song "Glad to Be Gay" by the Tom Robinson Band.
Coles has a condition called tinnitus in his right ear. This means he hears a ringing or buzzing sound. It is a result of playing loud pop music for many years.
In 2007, Coles started a relationship with David Oldham, who was also an Anglican priest. They entered into a civil partnership in 2010. David Coles passed away in December 2019. In 2023, Richard Coles shared that he was in a new relationship with actor Richard Cant.
Richard Coles is a member of the Labour Party. He is also a fan of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which is a sports organization in Ireland. He became interested in GAA sports after watching a TV show. He chose Cork as his favorite team.
In May 2022, Coles moved to Friston in East Sussex. He wanted to be closer to his friend and former manager. He lives in a charming old cottage there.
Works
Discography
- Communards (1986)
- Red (1987)
Images for kids
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Coles in 2014
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The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon, Northamptonshire
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Coles at the 2022 Chiswick Book Festival
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Coles speaking at Greenbelt Festival, 2012
