Everyone remembers The Communards. That voice. Those hits. Then silence. So what happened between Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles? Did they fall out? Are they still mates after all these years?
Yes, they’re still friends. But the journey from 1980s pop stars to today involved lies, grief, a vicar’s collar, and both ending up on England’s south coast. Here’s the real story nobody tells you.
Two Gay Runaways In 1980s London
Jimmy wasn’t a newcomer when he met Richard. He’d already made his name with Bronski Beat. That impossibly high falsetto was already famous across Britain.
Smalltown Boy had changed everything. The song about a gay teenager forced to leave home resonated with thousands. If you felt different in the 80s, that track spoke directly to you.
Richard came from Kettering. Classically trained pianist. Posh background. Complete opposite of Jimmy, who grew up on a Glasgow council estate. Street-smart with a voice that could shatter glass.
Key Differences Between Them:
| Jimmy Somerville | Richard Coles |
| Glasgow council estate background | Middle-class Kettering upbringing |
| Self-taught musical instincts | Classical piano training |
| Raw street authenticity | Refined, intellectual approach |
| Punk attitude | Academic sensibility |
They formed The Communards in 1985 after Jimmy left Bronski Beat. The lineup was basically just them two, though they worked with other musicians. Sarah Jane Morris sang on their massive hit. But the core? Always Jimmy and Richard.
Don’t Leave Me This Way Changed Everything
The 1986 cover went to number one. Four weeks at the top. Radio couldn’t stop playing it. Clubs across Britain blasted it nonstop.
This wasn’t just another disco cover. It was a statement. A proud, unapologetic queer anthem disguised as a dance floor banger. The timing couldn’t have been more crucial.
Chart Performance:
| Achievement | Details |
| Peak position | Number 1 UK Singles Chart |
| Weeks at number one | 4 consecutive weeks |
| Year released | 1986 |
| Genre impact | Pioneered openly gay pop mainstream |
Section 28 was coming. The government wanted to ban “promotion” of homosexuality in schools. AIDS was killing people daily. Gay men lived in constant terror. The Communards made music you could dance to while saying, “We exist. Deal with it.”
Their songs carried political weight. Every lyric about freedom and love challenged the status quo. When being openly gay could get you killed, they performed on Top of the Pops.
Sarah Jane Morris still keeps in touch with both. Richard mentioned they’ve all gravitated toward the south coast now. Jimmy’s in Brighton. Richard’s in East Sussex. They meet up occasionally.
The Split That Wasn’t Just About Music
Bands break up. That’s normal. But The Communards’ 1988 split had layers nobody talks about.
Richard told Jimmy he had HIV. Except he didn’t. He’d lied about his status.
Impact of the HIV Lie:
- Broke trust during the AIDS crisis
- Damaged their friendship severely
- Led to years of not speaking
- Happened when HIV meant certain death
- Created wounds that took decades to heal
Imagine the 80s AIDS crisis. Friends dying weekly. No treatments available. Just watching people waste away. The fear was suffocating and relentless.
Jimmy had lost people. Watched the community get decimated. Then Richard admits he lied about having HIV? That betrayal cut deep. Jimmy discussed it years later, calling it a difficult period. Classic British understatement for “absolutely devastating.”
They didn’t speak for years afterward. Life pulled them in completely different directions. The partnership that created magic together seemed finished forever.
Richard Became A Vicar
Nobody predicted this. Richard Coles became Reverend Richard Coles. A former synth-pop keyboard player taking holy orders in the Church of England.
Richard’s Career Transformation:
| Era | Role |
| 1985-1988 | The Communards keyboardist |
| 2005 | Ordained as Church of England priest |
| 2011-2022 | Parish priest in Northamptonshire |
| 2015-present | Radio broadcaster and writer |
| 2024 | I’m A Celebrity contestant |
His partner David Coles died in December 2019. Alcoholic liver disease took him. Richard’s been brutally honest about grief, which takes courage. He wrote about loss while dealing with hateful letters claiming David was burning in hell.
In 2023, he revealed he’s dating actor Richard Cant. He moved to Friston in East Sussex in 2022. His estimated net worth sits around £1.5 million from music, broadcasting, and books.
He’s done Strictly Come Dancing. I’m A Celebrity. Podcasts. Multiple books. His life now looks nothing like the 80s. But he’s never pretended that chapter didn’t happen.
Jimmy Somerville Now Is Still Jimmy Somerville
Brighton is home now. Makes perfect sense. It’s been Britain’s unofficial gay capital for decades.
Jimmy keeps his personal life private. No public information about partners or children exists. Smart move, considering how tabloids operate.
Jimmy’s Solo Career Highlights:
| Achievement | Year |
| You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) | 1989 |
| Read My Lips album | 1989 |
| Estimated net worth | £5 million |
| Age of Consent 40th anniversary | 2024 |
| Current status | Still touring and performing |
His influence on LGBTQ+ music is massive. That voice. That visibility. That refusal to hide when being open could genuinely get you killed. He paved the way for every openly gay pop star who followed.
When you see queer artists living their truth without apology today, remember Jimmy did it first. In the 80s. When it was actually dangerous. When coming out could cost you everything.
He’s still performing. Still an activist. Still proud. The 40th anniversary edition of The Age of Consent dropped recently. He’s not stuck in the past but he’s not running from it either.
So Are Jimmy Somerville And Richard Coles Still Friends Then?
Yes. They are. Really.
Richard told Retro Pop Magazine in 2022 he’ll always be grateful for Jimmy and loves him very much. That’s not just polite interview talk. That’s genuine affection.
Their Current Relationship Status:
- Live near each other (Brighton and East Sussex)
- Meet up occasionally
- Maintain mutual respect and love
- Not working together professionally
- Share unique bond from Communards era
- Have forgiven past hurts
He also said The Communards was something they experienced together as equal partners. He’d love to see more of Jimmy because reflecting on that time is something only they can do together.
They’re not collaborating musically. No tours planned. Their lives went wildly different directions. One became a vicar and reality TV personality. The other stayed a music icon and activist.
But the bond from those intense 80s years hasn’t vanished. Richard jokes about gay men over 60 migrating to the south coast. It’s funny because it’s true. They live close now. They stay connected. Time healed what needed healing.
How Their Music Shaped LGBTQ+ Culture
The Communards weren’t just making catchy tunes. They were creating cultural moments that mattered.
Cultural Impact:
| Contribution | Significance |
| Mainstream visibility | First openly gay duo on Top of the Pops |
| Political messaging | Songs addressed Section 28 and AIDS crisis |
| Dance floor activism | Made protest danceable |
| Lasting influence | Paved way for modern queer pop artists |
Every performance was a statement. Every interview was activism. They made being gay visible when the government wanted them invisible. Their music became a lifeline for isolated queer teenagers.
Bronski Beat started it. The Communards amplified it. Jimmy’s solo work continued it. That thread of visibility and pride runs through four decades of British pop culture.
Why Their Friendship Actually Matters
Celebrity friendships usually feel hollow. This one’s different. It matters beyond 80s nostalgia.
They were young, openly gay men making music during one of the most terrifying periods for LGBTQ+ people in modern Britain. They faced constant homophobia. From the press. From the public. Even from inside the music industry.
Challenges They Faced Together:
- AIDS crisis killing friends weekly
- Section 28 legislation targeting gay visibility
- Media hostility toward openly gay performers
- Death threats and constant harassment
- Watching community members die
- Fighting for basic human dignity
They watched friends die from AIDS. They made art anyway. They insisted on being visible anyway. That shared trauma creates bonds that don’t just vanish.
Forgiveness happens. Growth happens. Maintaining genuine affection across decades and completely different life paths? That’s rare. That’s special.
Different Paths, Same Foundation
Richard’s now an unlikely national treasure. Vicar, broadcaster, Strictly and I’m A Celebrity contestant, writer, podcaster. He’s nothing like his 80s pop star self. Yet that past gives him the depth people find compelling.
Their Divergent Paths:
| Richard’s Journey | Jimmy’s Journey |
| Became ordained priest | Stayed in music industry |
| Reality TV personality | Touring musician and activist |
| Author and broadcaster | LGBTQ+ icon and advocate |
| Settled in East Sussex | Based in Brighton |
| Public grieving process | Private personal life |
Jimmy’s still the activist. Still the voice. Still the icon who never sold out. He could’ve gone mainstream, toned himself down, made more money. He didn’t. He stayed authentic.
Their friendship surviving everything it has says something hopeful. Relationships can evolve. People can grow in completely different directions and stay connected. Shared history matters. Love lasts.
The Reality Of It
They’re not best mates hanging out weekly. They’re not cooking up new music together. They probably don’t text daily or drop by for dinner. That’s not what their friendship is now.
But when Richard talks about Jimmy, you hear real affection. When they do meet, it means something. The Communards period belongs to them alone. Nobody else went through that specific experience.
What Their Friendship Looks Like Today:
- Occasional meetups on the south coast
- Mutual respect and gratitude
- Shared understanding of their unique history
- No professional collaboration
- Genuine care despite distance
- Bond built on survived trauma
That creates bonds lasting decades. Even when you rarely see each other. Even when life takes wildly different directions. Even when one becomes a vicar and the other stays a pop icon.
So yes, they’re still friends. Real friends. The kind lasting decades because they’re built on something meaningful. Something that survived the worst times and came out intact.
Not working together anymore. Not living in each other’s pockets. But friends. Proper ones. The kind worth keeping.
FAQs
What band was Jimmy Somerville in before The Communards?
Bronski Beat, where he became famous for his distinctive falsetto voice.
Where does Jimmy Somerville live now?
Brighton, England’s unofficial gay capital on the south coast.
Is Richard Coles still a vicar?
Yes, he remains an ordained Church of England priest despite his broadcasting career.
Did The Communards break up because of a fight?
Partially Richard’s lie about being HIV positive damaged their relationship badly.
How much is Jimmy Somerville worth?
Estimated around £5 million from his music career spanning four decades.
Are Jimmy and Richard working on new music together?
No, but they maintain their friendship and meet occasionally.
Conclusion
The story of Jimmy Somerville and Richard Coles isn’t just about 80s pop nostalgia. It’s about two people who changed British music while living through one of the darkest periods for LGBTQ+ people.
They made mistakes. They hurt each other. They went separate ways. But the foundation they built during those Communards years proved stronger than betrayal, time, or completely divergent life paths. That’s the real legacy not just the music, but the enduring human connection.
Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, transformed the computer world and later made a global impact in philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
