To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

I'm A Celeb viewers are only just realising why Reverend Richard Coles is famous

I'm A Celeb viewers are only just realising why Reverend Richard Coles is famous

Rev. Richard Coles has led quite the interesting life

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here fans have been left in shock after discovering how contestant Reverend Richard Coles became famous.

Rev. Coles was one of two late arrivals to the Australian jungle, entering into a separate camp alongside Love Island star Maura Higgins as part of a secret task.

The pair became a firm favourite among fans during after their arrival, with fans branding the pair an 'iconic duo' and deserving of their 'own sitcom'.

Maura and Rev. Coles finally joined the rest of the celebrities in the main camp during last night's episode (24 November), which saw tensions rising over the camp's sleeping arrangements.

Meanwhile fans have also been questioning how the 62-year-old came to be famous - with many surprised by his long career.

Reverend Richard Coles is currently taking part I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here (ITV)
Reverend Richard Coles is currently taking part I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here (ITV)

Who is Reverend Richard Coles?

As you've probably worked out form his title, Rev. Coles is a Church of England priest, having been ordained in 2005.

His journey to becoming a priest began in the early 90s, when it is said that he'd been inspired after hearing a church service.

Outside of his religious role, Rev. Coles is also a published author and a contributor to several BBC Radio programmes.

He has also made guest appearances on shows such as Celebrity Masterchef, Countdown and had a very brief appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.

However Rev. Coles' career stretches far beyond TV and radio, as he was once a member of 80s pop duo The Communards alongside Jimmy Somerville.

Which is certainly a unique origin story for a priest.

But were you aware of how Rev. Coles became famous? (Tim Roney/Getty Images)
But were you aware of how Rev. Coles became famous? (Tim Roney/Getty Images)

It didn't take long for I'm A Celeb fans to uncover the piece of trivia, with several shocked to learn that a man who holds the title 'Reverend' would have previously enjoyed a career as a musician.

Sharing the revelation in a post on TikTok, content creator Brooke Hewer said that she'd been inspired to dig into Coles' past after seeing him on the TV a couple of times but 'didn't really know what he was famous for'.

After coming across The Communards, Brooke found their biggest hit 'Don't Leave Me This Way' and was surprised to realise that she'd heard it before.

"Are you kidding me," she said after playing the clip. "Is that common knowledge, or have I just been living under a rock?"


Turns out that Brooke wasn't the only person who was unaware about the Reverend's musical past either, as several viewers shared their surprise in the comments.

"Omg I’m 54 and have lived under the same rock as you, one of my favourite bands was The Communards. I didn’t know this at all," one viewer commented, while a second added: "I wonder if his camp mates know this, cos I didn’t and I’m an 80’s girl! Classic tune!"

Featured Image Credit: Tim P. Whitby/Tim P. Whitby / Getty Images for St John Ambulance

Topics: ITV, Im A Celebrity, TV, TikTok