Strictly’s grieving vicar is told in hate mail: Your partner’s in hell
THE REV Richard Coles has revealed he has been subjected to abuse following the death of his partner.
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant said he had received messages from a minority of people, including one that said his partner was “in hell” and that he “will follow”.
Coles announced on Tuesday that civil partner the Rev David Coles, who was also a priest, died after a long illness.
Two days later, Coles wrote there had been “99.99999 per cent loveliness from people and then a small but lively correspondence from Christians who wish me to know that D is in hell and I will follow.
“It’s like the Khmer Rouge suddenly popping up in a stream of condolence.”
He said: “A letter, courageously unsigned, begins, ‘Dear Mr Coles, I can’t begin to tell you how happy
I am to hear of the death of your partner...’.”
In a follow-up tweet he added: “It continues, ‘I have been praying for your pain for a long time now...’.”
A short while later Coles tweeted that “horrible letters, they don’t touch me”.
He said: “I am right now an expert in pain, the real kind, and these are paper darts among the incoming and just leave me mildly curious about the state of mind of the writer.”
Along with the tweet he posted a picture of a pot of green ink, a reference to the journalistic term “green ink brigade” about hate mail largely being sent into news organisations written in the coloured pen.
Dianne Buswell, Coles’ former Strictly partner, tweeted: “Disgusting, thinking of you, x.”
Comedian Tim Minchin replied: “So pathetic. I can’t even be bothered searching for the yawn emoji. xx.”
According to former Communards star Coles’ website, he and David lived together in their vicarage “which is gradually being destroyed by dachshunds Daisy, Pongo, Audrey and Horatio”. The couple met in 2007 after a sermon.