Reverend Richard Coles is ‘worried’ he won’t recognise his I’m A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

As a seasoned radio host and vicar with a witty sense of humor, I find myself captivated by Reverend Richard Coles‘ journey into the I’m a Celebrity jungle. His life experiences have prepared him well for this adventure, as his years spent in the pulpit have undoubtedly honed his ability to confront fears and adapt to unexpected circumstances.


As he prepares to enter the jungle among his famous campmates later on, Reverend Richard Coles has expressed concern that he might not recall some of their faces.

On Thursday, the 62-year-old author and radio host will join Maura Higgins in a surprising appearance, following the hint dropped during the closing moments of the previous night’s broadcast.

He has also questioned how he will ‘cope’ with just 500 calories a day, after piling on the pounds thanks to a 5,000 calorie-a-day diet before heading Down Under.

The former Communards musician, who now practices as a Church of England priest, admitted: ‘It’s a tougher gig being the late entrant as you already have some groups forming. And I am nervous of getting in there and not recognising people.

‘You could be talking to the most famous influencer in the world and not know who it is. So that will be tricky.’

Richard expressed his concern by saying, “I’m concerned about managing my learning process if I have to survive on just 500 calories a day. Typically, that amount would be my mid-morning snack!

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

“I accepted the opportunity to go to the Amazon because it fits my style, even though I feel both anxious and eager.”)

‘I do know Ant and Dec too – Dec and I share a love of sausage dogs! We’ve swapped pictures before of our sausage dogs.’

The Reverend confessed that he’ll find it hard to part from his companion, actor Dickie Cant (age 60), the offspring of Brian Cant, as well as his cellphone.

‘I spend half my life connecting with people so that is going to be a bit weird,’ said Richard. 

He commented: “I’ll really miss my partner and most people I’ve shared this with find it amusing. They’ve warned me to keep quiet, particularly in the mornings!

Richard went on to admit that I’m A Celebrity will probably be the hardest thing he has ever done.

He joked, however, that ‘humiliating himself’ on Strictly in 2017, was good preparation. 

Attempting the Paso Doble proved to be quite difficult and embarrassing for me, and I must admit, it’s going to be a tough workout as well.

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival
Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

If asked if he has any hidden strategies to win over the camp upon his arrival, he casually replied: “Just be authentic.

Richard clarified: “I won’t maintain a false image and I’ll simply be authentic. I relish interacting with others, and since I spent a considerable amount of time as a vicar, I’m comfortable in social settings and adept at making things run smoothly.

As a curious soul, I find myself drawn to uncovering the thought processes and lives of others. The intrigue has just become tangibly real, making this exploration all the more engaging and exciting.

He mentioned that handling cockroaches in the campsite could prove intriguing, while also encountering his fear of heights would be quite challenging for him.

The broadcaster said: ‘I have always had an adventurous diet, but never as adventurous as a Bushtucker Trial! But I will definitely give the Trials a go. 

I could run out of steam midway, I may find myself in tears and hysterics on that day, but deep down, I hope I can put forth my utmost effort.

He confided that his snoring  may ‘torment people’ as he admitted it is a ‘major issue’.

Yet, should they manage to surpass that hurdle, the 62-year-old expresses his optimism about sharing some anecdotes for everyone’s amusement.

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival
Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival
Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

According to Richard, the amount of information he shares may adjust over time. He mentioned that he intends to share some stories, but will need to exercise caution and self-censorship throughout the process. However, he anticipates that it might become challenging for him to maintain this level of restraint after a while.

Despite considering his chances of winning as ‘extremely slim’, the Reverend views it as an opportunity for a ‘significant change’ or ‘major transformation’.

He found it intriguing, acknowledging that he might face some apprehensions during this journey but was eager to discover more about himself. In essence, he was thrilled.

After Richard admitted that he gained weight due to consuming around 5,000 calories daily prior to entering the I’m a Celebrity jungle.

When asked if he dieted for the show, Reverend Richard replied: “Before the show, I went on a cruise instead.

Instead of reducing my calorie consumption in preparation, it seems the strategy hasn’t yielded the desired results.

For the past few days, I’ve been consuming approximately 5,000 calories daily. Consequently, I believe my weight has increased, as suggested by my measurements from a couple of days ago, and it seems likely that this trend will continue when I take new measurements.

Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival
Reverend Richard Coles is 'worried' he won't recognise his I'm A Celeb campmates as he gears up to join them in the jungle as a late arrival

‘No, I haven’t attempted that diet at all. I contemplated doing so because I thought reducing my daily intake from 5000 calories to 500 calories would be noticeable by my body and aid in weight loss. However, I believe it’s a beneficial change.’

When questioned about incorporating his religious beliefs into the jungle, the vicar openly acknowledged that he would definitely rely on them during Bushtucker trials involving great heights, as this is his foremost dread.

He said: ‘I actually froze with fear on the stepladder the other day on the second rung up. So that will be scary. But I know that there will be somebody burly with a harness nearby.’

However, he mentioned that he is comfortable with it [sharing his faith]. He clarified that he won’t be spreading his beliefs through singing hymns like “All the Christian Soldiers.

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

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2024-11-21 04:08

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