‘I refuse to swear!'

Rev Richard Coles on learning how to be a stand-up comedian for a new celebrity talent challenge

- Hannah Davies

STAND UP & DELIVER NEW THURSDAY / C4 / 9PM / EP 1 of 2 / COMEDY

As a quick and witty Radio 4 presenter and reality TV show regular, Rev Richard Coles is used to making us laugh – who can forget his valiant attempt at the paso doble on Strictly?

But taking part in C4’s Stand Up & Deliver, where five brave celebrities are thrown into the world of stand-up comedy, has exposed the vicar of Finedon to a totally different strain of entertainment.

‘It’s everyone’s nightmare… all of a sudden you find yourself standing on a stage in front of an audience and required to do stand-up!’ says Richard, 58. ‘People get into cold sweats about that!’

The series is part of Stand Up To Cancer 2021 and pairs Richard, former Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder, Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard, ex-Corrie star Katie McGlynn and politician Baroness Sayeeda Warsi with famous comics, including Jason Manford and Zoe Lyons, who’ll help each of them perfect a routine for a special stand-up performance.

Here, the always-charming Richard tells TV Times more...