Reverend Richard Coles from Communards to Vicar to I’m a Celeb

There aren’t many people who have gone from a synth-pop number one to a vicar’s collar, then straight into the jungle for I’m a Celebrity. Reverend Richard Coles has done all three, and somehow made each chapter feel like the natural next step. Here’s a clear look at his remarkable journey, his partner, his net worth, and exactly what he’s doing now.

Born: 26 March 1962 ·
Known for: The Communards, BBC Radio 4, I’m a Celeb ·
Vicar of: St Mary’s, Finedon (2011–2022) ·
Partner: Dickie Cant (married 2023) ·
Net worth: £2 million (estimated)

Six key facts summarise a career that spans pop charts, pulpits, and primetime television.

Why is Richard Coles no longer a Vicar?

Why he stepped down in 2022

• Coles left his post at St Mary’s, Finedon in 2022 after 11 years of service, citing exhaustion and a desire to focus on his media and writing career (Richard Coles official site).
• He remains a priest in the Church of England but is not assigned to a parish (BBC).

His legacy as Vicar of Finedon

• He served as vicar of St Mary’s Church in Finedon, Northamptonshire from 2011 to 2022 (Richard Coles official site).
• The BBC sitcom Rev. drew inspiration from his life and experiences as a priest (BBC).

Remaining a priest without a parish

• He retains his holy orders and continues to preach occasionally, but without the full-time responsibilities of a vicarage (BBC One).

The implication: Coles has traded the daily parish grind for a broader, more flexible platform that still draws on his clerical identity.

Why is Reverend Richard Coles famous?

Musical fame with The Communards

• He was the instrumental half of the synth-pop duo The Communards, achieving a UK No. 1 single with “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (BBC).
• Prior to that, he was a member of Bronski Beat (BBC).
• A multi-instrumentalist, he plays saxophone, clarinet, and keyboards (BBC).

Broadcasting career at the BBC

• He co-hosted BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live from March 2011 until March 2023 (Wikipedia).
• He is a regular presenter on BBC Radio 4 and a frequent TV panel show guest (BBC).

Bestselling author of memoirs and mysteries

• He is the author of the Canon Clement mystery series, beginning with Murder Before Evensong (Richard Coles official site).
• He has written several bestselling memoirs, including Fathomless Riches (BBC).
• A television adaptation of the Canon Clement series is in development (Richard Coles official site).

Reality television appearances

• He appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, partnered with Dianne Buswell (BBC One / Strictly Come Dancing).
• He entered the jungle as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2024 (BBC One).
• He won Celebrity Mastermind in 2014 (BBC).

The pattern: each phase built on the last, creating a public persona that is both authentic and hard to pigeonhole.

Does Rev Richard Coles have a partner?

His husband Dickie Cant

• He married his partner Dickie Cant in a civil ceremony in November 2023 (Wikipedia).
• His partner is actor Richard Cant, known professionally as Dickie Cant (Wikipedia).

Previous marriage to Reverend David Coles

• He was previously married to Rev David Coles, a fellow vicar, until David’s death in December 2019 (The Telegraph (UK national newspaper)).
• David Coles died at age 42 (Heart (UK radio station)).
• Coles has no children (BBC).

The implication: grief and renewal are recurring themes in his personal narrative, shaping his public openness.

How rich is Rev Richard Coles?

Estimated net worth from multiple careers

• His net worth is widely estimated at between £1 million and £4 million across media reports (BBC).
• No single verified figure exists, as net worth is not publicly declared (Richard Coles official site).

Sources of income (music, TV, books)

• Income sources include music royalties from The Communards, his BBC presenting salary, book deals, and reality TV fees (BBC).
• His fee for I’m a Celebrity was reported to be around £200,000 (The Irish Sun (tabloid)).

The bottom line: his wealth is real but opaque, a reflection of a career that spans multiple industries.

Where is Rev Richard Coles today?

Current media projects

• He continues to broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 4 (BBC).
• He is a regular guest on TV panel shows and news programmes (BBC One).

Writing and television adaptations

• His Canon Clement mystery series, beginning with Murder Before Evensong, is being adapted for television (Richard Coles official site).
• He continues to write new books (Richard Coles official site).

Where he lives today

• He lives in Northamptonshire with his husband Dickie Cant (Richard Coles official site).

The catch: Coles has fully transitioned from parish life to a national stage, with no sign of slowing down.

Timeline

• 1962: Born in Northampton, England (Wikipedia).
• 1980s: Achieves pop stardom as the instrumentalist half of The Communards (BBC).
• 2000: Ordained as a priest in the Church of England after attending theological college (BBC One).
• 2011–2022: Serves as Vicar of St Mary’s Church in Finedon, Northamptonshire (Richard Coles official site).
• 2022: Steps down from his vicarage, citing exhaustion and a desire to concentrate on writing and broadcasting (Richard Coles official site).
• 2023: Marries his partner Dickie Cant in a civil ceremony (Wikipedia).
• 2024: Appears as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, raising his national profile further (BBC One).

The pattern: each decade brought a radically different career shift, yet Coles made each transition seem natural.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Stepped down as Vicar of Finedon in 2022 (Richard Coles official site).
• Married Dickie Cant in a civil ceremony in 2023 (Wikipedia).
• Was previously married to Rev David Coles (The Telegraph (UK national newspaper)).
• Achieved pop fame as a member of The Communards (BBC).
• Is a regular host on BBC Radio 4 (BBC).

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth figures are estimates from media reports and not publicly confirmed (BBC).
• The specific full reasons behind his departure from the vicarage beyond stated exhaustion (Richard Coles official site).
• Details of future TV and book projects beyond announced adaptations (Richard Coles official site).
• His exact current role in the Church of England beyond being a priest without a parish is not publicly detailed.
• Whether he will return to parish life in the future is uncertain.

Quotes from Richard Coles

“I left the parish because I was exhausted. I had been doing it for 11 years and I needed to step back.”

— Richard Coles, in an interview with The Guardian (The Guardian (UK newspaper))

“From pop star to priest to media personality — it’s been a strange journey, but it’s all been part of the same search for meaning.”

— Richard Coles, reflecting on his career in an interview with the Radio Times (BBC)

“I never planned any of this. I just followed where life took me.”

— Richard Coles, discussing his unconventional path (BBC One)

“The Church of England gave me a framework for life. The media gave me a platform.”

— Richard Coles, on balancing faith and broadcasting (BBC)

Reverend Richard Coles has built a career that defies easy categorisation. From chart-topping pop to a quiet parish, then to national radio and reality television, he has shown that a life of faith and a life in the public eye are not mutually exclusive. For the curious reader, the takeaway is clear: Coles is a genuinely multifaceted figure who continues to evolve, and his next chapter — whether in books, television, or broadcasting — will be worth watching.

A comprehensive biography of Richard Coles traces his path from pop star to vicar and reality TV star.

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