ITV chiefs may have given the Reverend Richard Cole their blessing to appear on I am a Celeb..
But just last year the former vicar underwent spinal surgery, so he’ll be no doubt saying his prayers as he enters the Australian jungle later this month.
The former Strictly star will join an high profile line up of celebrities including Coleen Rooney, two time Strictly dance champion Oti Mabuse, and ex Love Islander Tommy Fury, competing to be crowned the jungle queen or king.
But it was only a year ago that the retired Vicar had life changing spinal surgery as she shared an update with his fans from the recovery room.
Captioning a photo of his hand with a canula following the operation, he wrote: “”Well I totally get the thing Michael Jackson had for Propofol,” he joked in a nod to the King of Pop’s reliance on powerful medication prior to his death.
He continued: “Felt a tad woozy next thing I knew I was in recovery with an upgraded spine (not illustrated) having a lovely dream about dirigibles.”
No doubt Richard who was also a member of 80s pop band The Commnards will be hoping that TV bosses go easy on with him when selecting the various trials and challenges of the jungle show.
Indeed earlier this week it was reported that Coleen Rooney will miss a series of trials due to a secret medical condition that will prevent her from participating.
As an ex BBC radio host who left the cooperation under a cloud after 12 years in 2023, Richard is a great signing for the reality show, having insight and expeince of the showbiz world over more than three decades.
An insider said: “As always, the jungle bosses have cleverly put together a sensational line-up guaranteed to make for compulsive viewing.
“Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.
After he left his role as the host of Radio 3’s Saturday live show in March 2023, the BBC announced the news via email only five days before his final shift.
Richard later confessed that he felt ‘hurtled towards the exit.”
He then hit out at the BBC by saying: “You devote your energies to it and yet they perhaps don’t always respond with similar devotion.”
Richard, 61, who was on Strictly in 2017, lost his partner Reverend David Coles three and a half years ago at the age of 43, after a battle with alcoholism.
He is now in a relationship with 58 year old Dickie Cant whom he met on dating site Elite Singles last year.
