The I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here jungle has been the scene of discussions about religion and sexuality, as TV presenter Rev Richard Coles has opened up to podcast host GK Barry about life as a gay vicar.
Rev Coles, aged 62, was ordained in 2005 after a stint in the 80s synthpop band the Communards.
His jungle companion, social media star Grace Keeling, has recently come out as same-sex attracted. She is open about her relationship with England footballer Ella Rutherford, and hosts the podcast 'Saving Grace'.
“When you got into being a Reverend, did you find it quite difficult being gay and doing that job?” she asked Rev Coles.
He replied: “No, not at all. I've never given it a moment's twinge of anxiety over whether God thought it was alright or not.
“Whether other people thought it was alright or not, well I'm happy to have that argument…”
“Religion is a difficult one,” said Grace. “It sometimes feels like there’s no place if you’re gay.”
Rev Coles acknowledged: “Religion is difficult, but I never found it personally difficult… but I was not the first. Sometimes when I look at documents from the middle ages I think: ‘That’s so gay.’”
Grace shared that she had been to Christian youth camps as a teenager, but felt put off by the idea of abstaining from sex until marriage.
“I used to be quite religious… I got baptised," she began.
Rev Coles grinned and said: “Praise Jesus!”
Grace told the jungle camera: “I came into this jungle, maybe not knowing who I would gel with or who I would be close with in here.
“Never in a million years if you told me that I would be getting on best with a reverend would I have believed you. But, he is honestly... I think he might be my favourite person in here.”