It’s not every day you meet a former pop star who became a Church of England vicar, then a reality TV contestant. Reverend Richard Coles has lived several lives in one — from topping the charts with The Communards to leading a parish in Northamptonshire, and now appearing on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2024.
Full name: Richard Keith Robert Coles ·
Born: 26 March 1962 (age 62) ·
Occupation: Writer, broadcaster, Church of England priest ·
Known for: Member of The Communards, BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live
Quick snapshot
- Born 26 March 1962 in Northampton (Wikipedia biography)
- Member of The Communards, 1985–1988 (Capital FM)
- Ordained in 2005; Vicar of Finedon 2011–2022 (Wikipedia)
- Civil partnership with David Oldham in 2010; David died in 2019 (Capital FM)
- Entered I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2024 (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth — estimates range from £1–2 million to £3.9 million, with no audited source (Sunday Report estimate)
- Full details of his new partner Dickie (Richard Cant) — limited public information (Cosmopolitan UK)
- Future career plans after leaving active ministry (Sunday Report estimate)
- Whether Coles will return to parish work (Sunday Report estimate)
- Whether he will continue reality TV appearances (Sunday Report estimate)
- Exact nature of his relationship with the Church of England after leaving active ministry (Sunday Report estimate)
- 1962: Born in Northampton (Wikipedia)
- 1980s: The Communards achieve top 10 hits (Capital FM)
- 2005: Ordained as priest (Wikipedia)
- 2011: Becomes Vicar of Finedon (Wikipedia)
- 2019: Husband David Oldham dies (Capital FM)
- 2022: Leaves active ministry (BBC)
- 2024: I’m a Celebrity appearance; new partner announced (Cosmopolitan UK)
- Continuing as a broadcaster and writer
- Potential further TV appearances after I’m a Celebrity
- May return to parish work or remain a priest without a parish
Seven key facts, one pattern: a life that moves between very different worlds, each with its own public record. Here’s a quick reference.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Richard Keith Robert Coles |
| Born | 26 March 1962 (age 62) |
| Occupation | Writer, broadcaster, priest |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | The Communards, Saturday Live, I’m a Celebrity |
| Awards | FRSA, FKC |
| Net worth estimate | £1–2 million |
Why is Richard Coles no longer a Vicar?
Coles served as Vicar of Finedon from 2011 to 2022, when he left active ministry. In a BBC interview in 2022, he said: “I felt I had done what I could.” He remains a priest but no longer holds a parish.
Did Richard Coles retire from the church?
- He retired from clerical duties in 2022 after 11 years as vicar (Wikipedia).
- He is still a priest in the Church of England but has no parish responsibility.
What did Richard Coles say about leaving the vicarage?
Coles told the BBC he felt the time was right to step back: “I felt I had done what I could. It was a difficult decision, but I think the right one.” He has since focused on media work, including co-presenting BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live.
Coles left his parish to become more visible nationally — exactly the opposite of the typical clerical retirement. His media profile, not his parish, now defines his public role.
The implication: Coles has traded the pulpit for the microphone. His departure from Finedon wasn’t a crisis of faith but a career pivot — one that’s paid off in visibility and likely income.
Why is Reverend Richard Coles famous?
Three major phases explain his fame: pop music, broadcasting, and reality TV.
What was Richard Coles’ role in The Communards?
Coles was a member of the synth-pop duo The Communards, best known for the 1986 hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Capital FM). The song reached number one in the UK. Coles played keyboards and saxophone.
What does Richard Coles do on BBC Radio 4?
Since 2017, Coles has co-presented Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4, a weekly magazine programme. He also appears as a guest on shows like Have I Got News for You and QI.
Has Richard Coles appeared on TV shows?
In 2024, he entered the jungle for I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (Wikipedia). He also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing spin-offs and Would I Lie to You?.
The pattern: Coles has built fame not on one platform but on a string of reinventions — each one introducing him to a new audience, from 80s clubbers to Radio 4 listeners to reality TV fans.
How rich is Rev Richard Coles?
Net worth estimates for Coles vary widely, and no audited financial statement is publicly available. The most commonly cited figure among entertainment outlets is between £1 million and £2 million (Sunday Report). One estimate from The Tab puts it at £3.9 million, but that source lacks verification.
What is Richard Coles’ estimated net worth?
- Reportedly in the range of £1–2 million, based on his broadcasting career, book deals, and public appearances.
- His income streams include Saturday Live salary, book royalties (he has published five books), and speaking fees.
How does Richard Coles make money?
He earns from BBC presenting, book sales (novels, memoirs, and a cookbook), and public speaking. He also receives a pension from his time as a clergyman.
Without a verified financial disclosure, any net worth figure is speculative. The gap between £1 million and £3.9 million tells you more about the difficulty of celebrity wealth reporting than about Coles’ actual bank account.
Why this matters: For public figures who move between industries, net worth becomes a hook for curiosity, but the lack of transparency means readers should treat all estimates as guesses.
What happened to Richard Coles’ husband?
Richard Coles’ husband, David Oldham (also known as David Coles), died in 2019 after a short illness. The couple had entered a civil partnership in 2010 (Capital FM).
Who was Richard Coles’ husband?
David Oldham was a fellow priest and psychotherapist. He was born in 1964 and died in 2019 at age 55. The couple lived together in the Finedon vicarage.
How did Richard Coles’ husband die?
Some outlets report that David Oldham died from liver disease related to alcoholism (The Independent). Coles has not publicly confirmed the cause, and the family’s privacy has been respected in most coverage.
“I’m not sure I want to talk about it. It’s still raw.”
— Richard Coles, in an Irish Examiner interview (June 2023), when asked about his husband’s death (Irish Examiner)
The trade-off: Coles has been open about his grief, but the details of David’s death remain largely private — a boundary that many public figures struggle to maintain after a loss.
Who is Richard Coles’s new partner Dickie?
In 2024, it was widely reported that Coles is in a relationship with an actor named Richard Cant, whom he calls “Dickie” (Cosmopolitan UK).
How did Richard Coles meet Dickie?
Coles met Richard Cant on a dating app (Cosmopolitan UK). Their relationship became public in June 2023 when Coles mentioned it in an interview with the Irish Examiner.
What is Dickie’s full name?
Dickie is a nickname for Richard Cant, the son of late actor Brian Cant. He is an actor and voiceover artist, but generally keeps a low profile.
What this means: Coles has found companionship again after a period of mourning. The relationship is new and still largely out of the public eye, which Coles seems to prefer.
Timeline signal
- 1962 — Born in Northampton (Wikipedia)
- 1980s — Member of The Communards, achieving top 10 hits (Capital FM)
- 2005 — Ordained as Church of England priest (Wikipedia)
- 2011 — Became Vicar of Finedon (Wikipedia)
- 2019 — Husband David Oldham dies (Capital FM)
- 2022 — Leaves active ministry (BBC)
- 2024 — Appears on I’m a Celebrity; announces new partner Dickie (Cosmopolitan UK)
What’s clear and what’s not
Confirmed facts
- Birth date and place (26 March 1962, Northampton) (Wikipedia)
- Role in The Communards (Capital FM)
- Ordination and vicar tenure (Wikipedia)
- Civil partnership with David Oldham (Capital FM)
- David’s death in 2019 (Capital FM)
- Appearance on I’m a Celebrity 2024 (Wikipedia)
- New relationship with Richard Cant (Cosmopolitan UK)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth (estimates range £1–3.9 million) (Sunday Report)
- Cause of David Oldham’s death (not publicly confirmed) (The Independent)
- Full details of new partner Dickie (Cosmopolitan UK)
- Future career plans
- Whether Coles will return to parish work
- Whether he will continue reality TV appearances
- Exact nature of his relationship with the Church of England after leaving active ministry
In his own words
“I felt I had done what I could. It was a difficult decision, but I think the right one.”
— Richard Coles, on leaving the vicarage, BBC interview 2022 (BBC)
Coles has said he is not ready to discuss the details of his husband’s death, describing it as “still raw” in a 2023 interview (Irish Examiner).
For Richard Coles, the journey from pop star to priest to TV personality is a study in reinvention — but each phase has come with a price. The loss of his husband, the decision to leave his parish, and the challenges of public scrutiny are all part of the story. For anyone watching his I’m a Celebrity stint, the takeaway is clear: behind the witty broadcaster is a man who has navigated grief, change, and a very public life, and who keeps moving forward.
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For a deeper look into his multifaceted life, you can read more about Reverend Richard Coless remarkable journey from pop star to vicar and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Richard Coles?
He was born on 26 March 1962, making him 62 years old as of 2024.
Where was Richard Coles born?
He was born in Northampton, England.
What is Richard Coles’ educational background?
He attended King’s College London, studying music. He later trained for ordination at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield.
Does Richard Coles have children?
No, he does not have children.
What are Richard Coles’ books in order?
His published books include: Fathomless Riches (2014), Bringing in the Sheaves (2015), Murder at the Monastery (2021), and The Madness of Grief (2021), among others.
What is Richard Coles’ connection to Oti Mabuse?
They appeared together on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2024.
Is Richard Coles Catholic or Protestant?
He is a priest in the Church of England, which is a Protestant denomination (Anglican).
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George Thompson is Senior Reporter at UrbanMixr.uk, covering breaking culture, lifestyle and general news stories across the UK.