Strictly Come Dancing star suffers heartbreak after mum dies-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Reverend Richard Coles shared the sad news on social media (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Reverend Richard Coles has revealed that his mum died on Thursday evening.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star, who first found fame as a member of 80s pop duo The Communards, took to X to share the sad news with his followers.

‘Mum died last night. Here she is on her wedding day, laughing,’ he began his tribute, alongside a black and white picture of his mother throwing back her head while giggling alongside wedding guests as she was shown her wedding cake.

‘No mummy’s boy (hello) could have wised [sic.] for more. RIP,’ he added, poignantly.

The 61-year-old former BBC Radio 4 broadcaster and Church of England clergyman, who danced with Dianne Buswell on Strictly in 2017, was supported by famous pals in the comments underneath.

‘I’m so sorry. May her memory be a blessing x’ responded Nigella Lawson, while comedian Dawn French also shared her love with the star.

‘Sorry to hear that Richard,’ added BBC News and Mastermind presenter Clive Myrie.

Richard, who is gay, previously spoke about coming out to his mother at the age of 16, who was the first person he told.

‘I played her Tom Robinson’s Sing if You’re Glad to be Gay I think it was four times before she said “Darling, are you trying to tell me something?”, and then she said, “I’ll tell your father”. But it was okay,’ he recalled while speaking to NMP Live’s blog in 2017.

‘It can’t have been news they wanted to hear, but I never doubted for a second that they loved me and cared about me, so that was fine.’

The former pop star and clergyman reached new fans with his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)

The ex-parish priest, who retired from clerical duties in 2022, has had a difficult few years after being widowed following his husband’s death.

David, his partner of 12 years died in December 2019, with Richard writing on Twitter: ‘I’m very sorry to say that @RevDavidColes has died. He had been ill for a while. Thanks to the brilliant teams who looked after him at @KettGeneral.’

In 2021 book The Madness of Grief: A Memoir of Love and Loss, Richard explained that David ‘died of drink’ aged 42. 

‘It was really, really tough to see somebody you love destroy himself,’ he wrote.

His husband David died in 2019 (Picture: Fabio De Paola/Shutterstock)

‘It is like someone is drowning and you throw them a lifebelt but they are just not taking the lifebelt. And I did try everything I could think of to help him stop drinking, and in fairness to him he did try too, but it was too much for him.

‘The second thing is, it is just very awkward, especially if you are a vicar and you are meant to be unflappable and perfect and my life was not and is not perfect and I wasn’t unflappable when David’s drinking was at its worst.’

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