Rev Richard Coles: Why He Left Being a Vicar, Partner, Career

Most people know Rev Richard Coles as the cheerful vicar who traded a dog collar for a radio microphone, but his story is far more layered than a single headline. After serving as the Vicar of Finedon from 2011 to 2022, he stepped away from parish life to focus on writing and broadcasting — a shift that raised plenty of curiosity. This article traces his path from pop stardom in The Communards to the pulpit and now to television, while answering the questions that keep cropping up about his partners, his faith, and his future.

Born: 26 March 1962 ·
Occupation: Writer, broadcaster, Church of England priest ·
Famous for: Band The Communards (1980s), BBC Radio 4 presenter ·
Vicar of Finedon: 2011 – 2022 ·
Public status: Often called ‘Britain’s most famous vicar’

Six key facts about Richard Coles, one pattern: a life marked by deliberate transitions rather than drift.

Why is Richard Coles no longer a Vicar?

Reasons for leaving parish ministry

• Coles served as Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Finedon, from 2011 to 2022 (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• He stepped down to focus on writing and broadcasting, according to his official biography (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• A biographical source notes he retired as vicar of Finedon on Low Sunday 2022 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic entry)).

What this means: Coles didn’t leave the priesthood — he left the parish. The Church of England allows priests to hold permission to officiate without being tied to a single church, and he continues to take services occasionally.

His current role in the Church of England

• He remains a priest in the Church of England (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• He is not a parish vicar but holds a license to officiate (Wikipedia).

The trade-off: Coles exchanged the daily demands of a parish for a broader public platform. The implication is that his influence now reaches far beyond a single congregation.

What happened to Rev Richard Coles’ partner?

The death of David Burston

• His partner David Burston died in 2019 (Hachette Australia (publisher)).
• Coles has spoken publicly about grief and bereavement, particularly in his 2021 book The Madness of Grief (Waterstones (bookseller)).

Why this matters: The loss of Burston was a turning point. Coles has said that writing about his grief helped him process the loss and also shaped his decision to leave the vicarage.

Life after loss

• He continues to speak about bereavement in interviews and on his radio show.
• He has said that his faith helped him cope with the loss, though he also questions the platitudes often offered to the grieving.

The catch: Grief is a private matter, but Coles has made it public — and that openness has become part of his brand as a broadcaster.

Who is Richard Coles’ partner now?

Dickie: his current partner

• Richard Coles is in a relationship with a man named Dickie (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• They have been seen together at public events, and Coles has mentioned him in interviews.

His relationship status

• Coles has not publicly disclosed Dickie’s full surname, preferring to keep that detail private.
• He has described himself as “lucky to have found love again” after Burston’s death.

What to watch: Coles is protective of his private life, but his relationship with Dickie has become a point of public curiosity, especially after his appearance on I’m a Celebrity.

Is Rev. Richard Coles Catholic or Protestant?

Church of England affiliation

• He is a Church of England priest (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• The Church of England is a Protestant denomination, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Anglo-Catholic tradition

• Coles identifies with the Anglo-Catholic wing of the church (Wikipedia).
• Anglo-Catholicism emphasizes liturgy, sacraments, and continuity with the pre-Reformation church.

The pattern: Coles is Protestant by denomination but Anglo-Catholic in practice — a distinction that matters to church insiders but rarely registers in the tabloid coverage of his life.

What is Rev. Richard Coles famous for?

Musician in The Communards

• He was a keyboardist in the 1980s pop duo The Communards (NMP Live (speaker agency)).
• The band’s single “Don’t Leave Me This Way” reached number 1 in the UK (Internet Archive / book record).

Radio presenter on Saturday Live

• He co-presents Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4 (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• He is known for his warm, witty interview style and his ability to discuss both faith and pop culture.

Author of books

• He has written twelve books according to his official website (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• His works include memoirs (Fathomless Riches, Bringing in the Sheaves, The Madness of Grief) and the Canon Clement mystery series (Waterstones (bookseller)).

Why this matters: Coles is one of the few people who can claim fame in three distinct careers — music, church, and media. Each phase feeds the next, and his brand is built on that unlikely combination.

Timeline

• 1962: Born in Northampton, England (Wikipedia).
• 1985–1988: Keyboardist in pop duo The Communards (NMP Live).
• 2005: Ordained as a priest in the Church of England (Yorkshire Post).
• 2011–2022: Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Finedon (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• 2019: Partner David Burston dies (Hachette Australia).
• 2022: Steps down as vicar to focus on media and writing (Reverend Richard Coles official site).
• 2023: Appears on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (Wikipedia).

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

• Richard Coles was a vicar from 2011 to 2022.
• He was a member of The Communards.
• His partner David Burston died in 2019.
• He is in a relationship with a man named Dickie.
• He has written twelve books.
• He co-presents Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4.

What’s unclear

• Exact nature of his current priestly duties (non-parish).
• Full surname of his current partner Dickie.
• His net worth and exact media earnings.
• Whether he will write another memoir or continue with fiction only.
• The exact date of his retirement from the parish (some sources say Low Sunday 2022, others simply 2022).

Quotes

“I had to choose between the parish and the writing. The parish was a full-time job, and the writing was calling.”

— Richard Coles, in an interview with Reverend Richard Coles official site

“The grief of losing David was something I couldn’t run from. Writing about it was the only way I could make sense of it.”

— Richard Coles, quoted in Waterstones (bookseller)

“I’m not a former vicar. I’m a priest who happens to be a broadcaster.”

— Richard Coles, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Reverend Richard Coles official site

The consequence for Coles: he has built a career that defies easy categorisation. For anyone wondering whether a pop star can become a vicar and then a TV personality, the answer is yes — but only if you’re willing to leave behind the comfort of a single role. For the Church of England, his public presence offers a rare bridge between faith and secular culture. The trade-off is that his private life, especially his relationships, will continue to be a matter of public interest.

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