Richard Coles Keynote Speaker

Former Church of England priest, broadcaster and bestselling author
BBC Radio 4 Presenter, TV Presenter (The Big Painting Challenge), Public Speaker
Former Member of 80s Pop Band

Richard Coles's Biography

Reverend Richard Coles is a Church of England priest (now retired from parish ministry), broadcaster and former musician. He is often described as Britain’s most famous Vicar. Prior to this, he was also the instrumentalist half of pop band, The Communards, with Jimmy Somerville.

The Communards achieved three Top Ten hits, including the Number 1 record of 1986, a dance version of “Don’t Leave Me This Way”. After his music career came to a halt in 1988, Richard began writing for the Times Literary Supplement and Catholic Herald. He studied BA Theology at King’s College London between 1990 – 1994.

In addition to frequently hosting corporate award ceremonies plus delivering keynote and after dinner speeches, Richard has had over 3 decades of broadcasting and presenting experience with the BBC. He is the co-presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live, a regular guest on shows such as Would I Lie To You?, Have I Got News For You and QI. He was the inspiration for the protagonist in the BBC hit comedy ‘Rev’, a programme for which he also served as a consultant. He was on Celebrity Masterchef in the summer of 2016 and in 2017, he co-hosted the BBC’s The Big Painting Challenge, alongside Mariella Frostrup. In August 2017, he was the fifth celebrity announced for Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Dianne Buswell. Richard has taken part in Celebrity Mastermind twice, winning on both occasions. Towards the end of 2019, he appeared as team captain on BBC2’s University Challenge, representing Leeds University.

His keynote speech themes are primarily Trust, Ethics, Diversity & Inclusion, LGBT and Mental Health. As the only Vicar with a number one hit record, this also makes Richard a popular after-dinner speaker, sharing his humorous tales of journey from popstar to priest.

Since 2017 he has been Chancellor of the University of Northampton and is a former Honorary Chaplain to the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers.

He is also a best-selling author, with twelve books to his credit including the 2021 Sunday Times bestseller, The Madness of Grief, and number one best-selling cosy crime series, The Canon Clement Mysteries.

Richard co-hosted the popular podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives alongside his friend Charles Earl Spencer and Norwegian archaeologist Cat Jarman from February 2023 until April 2025, during which time they recorded 106 episodes. Since May 2025, he has been an occasional stand-in broadcaster at Times Radio.

From Pop Star To Parson

In his popular after-dinner speech, From Pop Star To Parson, Richard tells a story as real as it is unlikely.

He connects the euphoria and mayhem of being ‘Top of The Pops’ in the 80s — which resonates with audiences of that era — to his more recent circumstances as Church of England priest, radio broadcaster, television presenter and best-selling author — which resonates with all sorts of people — and enables him to reach a wide audience, answering amongst many burning questions, “How do you go from pop star to priest? And why?”

Life of a Thoroughly Modern Parson

Adventures and Misadventures in Dance

He is one of Britain’s most recognisable broadcasters and public figures, uniquely combining experience as a priest, writer, musician and media personality.
He brings warmth, wit and intelligence to conversations on ethics, trust, leadership, diversity and mental health.
He offers a rare perspective shaped by an extraordinary journey from chart-topping pop musician to Church of England priest and bestselling author.
He is an engaging and highly entertaining speaker whose humour, storytelling and authenticity resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.
His insights equip audiences to reflect on resilience, identity, compassion and the importance of human connection in modern life.