A chinwag with Rev Richard Coles

This week’s special guest is the brilliant Richard Coles, joining the lads for a wide-ranging chat that somehow manages to cover children’s books, pop stardom, religion, reality TV, school life, funeral disasters and losing a speedboat in Ibiza. Richard talks about releasing his very first children’s book - https://amzn.to/3S51Q6j after already writing more than a dozen books for adults. He explains why he wanted to write stories about people whose adventures go spectacularly wrong, and why getting children hooked on reading feels more important than ever in a world battling for their attention. There’s a brilliant conversation about school visits, children’s honesty and the way young people see the world. Richard reflects on how empathetic and accepting children are today, while also sharing some hilarious moments from his recent school tour, including an unforgettable question about “having the nerve” to stand up and speak in front of people. The lads then head right back to the 1980s as Richard opens up about life in The Communards, having the biggest selling single of 1986 and the surreal experience of going from signing on at the dole office to flying on Concorde and dining with Andy Warhol and John Lydon in New York. There’s also a really thoughtful discussion around growing up gay in the 1970s, the challenges Richard faced at school and why finally being able to live honestly changed everything for him. It’s honest, reflective and full of perspective without ever losing the warmth and humour. The conversation then moves into Richard’s life as a vicar, including what people misunderstand most about religion and why being part of the church was never about escaping reality but facing it head-on. Naturally, this quickly descends into absolute chaos as the lads ask about disastrous weddings, awkward confessions and the unforgettable moment a bride catastrophically misjudged a nervous fart during the ceremony. There’s plenty of chat about TV too, including Strictly Come Dancing, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity MasterChef and Richard’s love of being thrown into bizarre situations with complete strangers. He also reveals the most disgusting thing he had to eat in the jungle and teases a reality show he’d still secretly love to do. As always, the episode finishes with the classic final question: what advice would Richard give to his ten-year-old self? His answer is simple, honest and genuinely lovely. A fascinating, funny and surprisingly moving episode with one of the most interesting guests the podcast has had. 📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here: 👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16 Here’s where you can catch the show 👇 🎭 May 2026 22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨 🎭 October 2026 25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰 26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤 27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳 28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊 29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺 30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓ 31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶 🎭 February 2027 14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡 15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️ 16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎 17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂 18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹 19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺 20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐 🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live See you on the road again soon 👏🎤 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices