Reverend Richard Coles on part Glasgow has played in his life

“I do love Glasgow,” he beams.

“My life and career seem to have been full of Glaswegians – Jimmy [Somerville, Richard’s Communards band-mate] of course, and my first boyfriend Russell was from Glasgow too. I love the city, I’m really looking forward to coming back.”

Reverend Richard Coles (Image: NMP Live Ltd)

Richard will be performing his one-man show, The Reverend Richard Coles: Borderline National Trinket, at Eastwood Park Theatre on Saturday, January 13.

The title comes from something Richard’s late husband David said - after someone gushingly suggested the Reverend was on his way to becoming a national treasure, David jokingly downgraded the compliment to "borderline national trinket" – and the format has a bit of everything: stand-up comedy, heartfelt reminiscence and audience Q&A.

“I was slightly apprehensive about touring – the last time I did it was 1988," admits Richard. 

"Although, of course I didn’t think it would be like that at all. It couldn’t have been. I wouldn’t have been able to manage. This time, it’s a bit less – dynamic….”

He is loving the experience, he says.

Reverend Richard Coles (Image: NMP Live Ltd)

"A lot of my career has been behind a mic, or through a lens, but you can’t beat meeting people face to face," he explains. "The tour allows me to do that.”

People are coming to see Richard's shows for a variety of reasons, he acknowledges.

“One of my first shows was in Christchurch in Dorset, and it was a room full of women-with-Agas and two Hell’s Angels,” he says, with a chuckle. “That was certainly a hint of the diversity to come.”

It is no surprise that his audiences are so diverse.

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This is a man, after all, with possibly the most varied career ever, from having the UK’s biggest selling single of 1986 (Don't Leave Me This Way, with synth pop combo The Communards), to 17 years in the priesthood; from Strictly Come Dancing contestant (fairly unsuccessful, voted off after three shows) to bestselling novelist (extremely successful: his first two Canon Clement murder mysteries have been huge hits, a third is on its way and he has just signed a publishing deal for three more.)

The Communards in 1986 (Image: Newsquest)

Writing these detective stories was more about the fun of “creating an imaginary world” than any secret desire to be a sleuthing vicar himself, he says.

“Actually, all vicars are sleuths, really,” he ponders.

“Getting to the bottom of why something happened, why something has gone wrong, usually, and trying to fix it, is common to both professions. My brother was a detective, so somewhere along the line, our professions overlapped.”

After the tour, Richard is planning “lots of adventures”, he reveals, having found love again with new partner, actor Richard Cant.

“I know most people dread getting older, but I quite like it,” he says.

“The physical decrepitude, I could do without, but the slower pace, I quite enjoy. I realise I am very fortunate, of course, to be able to do this, and to provide for myself and know where my next meal is coming from, and I don’t forget that.”

He adds: “But my partner and I are just very much enjoying being with the people we care about, doing the things we want to do.

"That's a good way to live life, I think.”

Richard Coles: Borderline National Trinket, is at Eastwood Park Theatre on January 13.