Private Passions

In a revealing and entertaining programme for Easter Day the Reverend Richard Coles talks to Michael Berkeley about his double life as a celebrity priest, and his enduring passion for classical music.

Perhaps the only vicar to have had a number one hit and to have danced the Pasa Doble in front of 10 million television viewers, Richard Coles is also the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live and the author of several books.

Richard talks to Michael about how he balances being in the public eye with the day to day normalities of being a vicar in rural Northamptonshire. He also reveals how Mozart helped his recovery from depression as a teenager and talks frankly about the difficulties of being gay in the Church of England.

He chooses choral music which reminds him of studying theology at King’s College London, jazz in memory of his grandfather and the Monks of Solesmes Abbey singing from the Gradual Mass of Easter.

Part of the BBC's Easter religious programming

Publicity contact: EK