As the finale of the British TV show ‘I’m a celebrity’ approaches, more is known about the life of one of its participants, Rev Richard Coles.
Richard’s path to the clergy was not an easy one. He first gained fame as one half of synth-pop duo The Communards before finding his faith in the 1990s, publishes the Express.
Born in Northamptonshire, Richard became aware of his sexuality while singing in a public school choir, but did not reveal it until his late teens.
At 16, he came out to his parents and, after battling depression and a suicide attempt, met Jimmy Somerville, then a member of the pop band Bronski Beat. When Jimmy left Bronski Beat, he joined Richard to form The Communards.
Their success Don’t Leave Me This Way, which topped the charts, was the best-selling single of 1986. In the midst of their success, Richard and Jimmy indulged in a wild lifestyle full of drugs and partying.
Frequent discussions led to the dissolution of the band in 1988but Richard continued with his wild party lifestyle, especially in Ibiza.
Buying a boat
He has shared stories from his past with his fellow campers, including a story about buying a speedboat while drunk, which never used and whose whereabouts he does not know to this dayy.
After returning to the UK, Richard knew it was time to address his drug use problem. He recalled a turning point: “One morning I was on the subway after being away for three days.”
Looking disheveled from days without care, he said, “I was covered in dirt, smelled bad, and didn’t look normal. People looked at me with a mixture of pity and horror. Then I saw my reflection in the window across the street and thought, ‘It’s time to get my act together.'”
Despite his initial skepticism, a psychiatrist’s recommendation led him to talk to a priest, which awakened in him a curiosity about spiritual matters. “I guess I’ve always had a very genuine curiosity about religion,” admitted Richard.
His exploration led him to write for the Catholic Herald and pursue a degree in theology at King’s College London in 1990.
That same year, during a Mass at St. Alban’s church, he experienced a profound spiritual awakening which consolidated his faith. After spending ten years as a Roman Catholic, he was drawn back to Anglicanism in 2001.
His dedication resulted in his ordination as an Anglican priest four years later. In 2011, Richard took up the post of vicar at St Mary the Virgin in Finedon, Northamptonshire, before retiring in 2022.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.