An Audience with Richard Coles

We’re delighted to welcome the Reverend Richard Coles to the Watermill this October to talk about his inspiration for his best selling novel, Murder Before Evensong - how he captures the essence of quintessential English village life in his fiction and leads his hero Daniel Clement to capture a killer.

As the only Church of England priest to have also topped the pop charts (formerly one-half of the 1980s duo The Communards), Richard served as the vicar of Finedon for over a decade and is a beloved broadcaster and author. He has hosted BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live, became a household name through Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, and is a best-selling author with twelve books.

Following a rector in a 1980s English village who becomes an unlikely detective when a parishioner is murdered in his church, Richard's best-selling Canon Clement Mysteries series has become hugely popular, even spawning a six-part TV adaptation, which premiered in 2025.

Following the opening of the world premiere of the stage adaptation of the first of Richard's Canon Clement Mysteries series, Murder Before Evensong, join us for a thrilling conversation with Richard, and the opportunity to hear more about his work and his latest book.

Richard will be signing books after the event, and we will have a small selection available to purchase on the day.

This is a fundraising event, which means all profits will go towards our ongoing work - both on and off stage – to enable the Watermill to be a theatre for everyone. Thank you for your support.