I'm A Celeb's Rev Richard Coles unrecognisable as 80s pop star when 'girls threw knickers at him'

The I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! campmates reflected on the point at which they realised they were famous during Tuesday’s episode of the popular show. The Rev Richard Coles surprisingly announced that he once came on stage to a "barrage of knickers" while he was in pop duo The Communards.

The 62-year-old TV presenter wasn’t always a man of faith. In fact, he boasts quite an impressive pop career with singles topping the charts in the mid-80s. Richard founded The Communards alongside former Bronski Beat singer Jimmy Somerville. The band formed back in 1985 after they recruited bassist Dave Renwick. Although they achieved a top 30 song on their debut album, their biggest hit cam a year later when they covered Thelma Houston’s Don’t Leave Me This Way. The Communards ultimately released two albums before they split in 1988.

Earlier this week, radio presenter and author Richard, told his fellow campmates: "The big thing for us came when we had Don’t Leave Me This Way and it was number one for weeks and weeks, and I remember we were playing in Ireland and we were booked into a sports stadium, we came on stage and there was this barrage of knickers. All these girls threw their knickers."

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He added: “Never in the history of recorded sound did a girl throw her knickers at a band to less effect than to The Communards, I think Jimmy made a scrunchie out of a pair of them and that was it.”

Opening up about the band's split to Classic Pop Magazine in 2022, Richard said: “I don’t think we understood each other. Our lives were so different, we didn’t really have the tools for finding our way through disagreements."

He continued: “It was obvious we had nothing left to give each other. We never actually split up though. We just decided to stop for a while. It’s a pause that’s lasted 33 years.”

Jimmy continued in the music industry while Richard converted to Anglicism in 1991 and became an ordained priest in 2005. He has since become known for his work as a vicar, broadcaster, and media personality.

Richard has used his platform to discuss faith, mental health, and LGBTQ+ issues, often bringing a sense of humor and approachability to his role as a priest.

Danny Jones contributed to the conversation and said: “For me, it was the fans waiting outside CD:UK and then when we left girls were chasing the car and I was like, ‘What has gone on?’ It was scary because they were banging on the windows.”

He added: “I think to make a difference to people’s lives, I get such satisfaction and that’s what keeps me going to make people smile or forget about their worries or to make them feel less lonely in hard times, and just come and enjoy and a bit of escapism at one of our shows, I feel very privileged to have that.”

Former professional boxer Barry McGuigan told the camp he had won the Commonwealth Games gold medal when he was 17.

He said: “Because Ireland was going through all the troubles and I was a sort of peace ambassador, all the bad boys f****** hated me but yet they watched my fights. It was probably in the hope I got flattened.”

Elsewhere Maura Higgins spoke about what it was like to come home after appearing on ITV reality show Love Island.

She said: “Coming back into Heathrow Airport it was mayhem, the security had to drag us onto a bus because there were swamps of people. I didn’t know what to expect.”

Alan Halsall said his fame has been consistent due to his role in the British soap Coronation Street. He said: “That’s constant. I think the only time I’ve found it difficult really recently is when I’ve become a father, it’s hard then.”

Coleen Rooney, who is married to former footballer Wayne Rooney, agreed: “That’s the thing with kids I think, it’s hard to go on days out.

“Kai told Wayne to stop coming to football games, when he played grassroots tournaments and stuff because he used to get swarmed and he couldn’t even watch the game.

“How do you say to all of these kids, ‘Go away, I’m watching my son?’ Adults, it’s different you could speak to them, so he (Kai) just said, ‘Oh, Dad there’s no point you coming because you don’t even watch me play anyway.’

“Which is sad but it can’t be helped anyway. At the same time the fans help you along the way and get you where you are.”

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX