I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! star, Reverend Richard Coles, who was first ordained in 2005, has admitted to breaking the law16:46, 25 May 2026Reverend Richard Coles has confessed to breaking the law. The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! star, 64, who was first ordained in 2005, made the admission at the Hay Festival.‌The writer and former 80s pop star revealed he placed the ashes of dead dogs in their owners’ coffins, which was illegal because animal ashes can not be buried with human remains. However, Coles said he had faith in God's mercy and continued to reunite owners with their pets, albeit surreptitiously.‌After telling the festival goers in Wales that he probably should not be admitting to “breaking the law”, Coles said that he would “quite often go to the undertaker’s with a dog’s ashes”. He recalled: "I would say: ‘Have you screwed down Mrs Haverstone? Not yet?’ I would then say: ‘Look at that bird’.”‌READ MORE: Rylan Clark breaks silence on friends getting 'cancelled' after Scott Mills scandalREAD MORE: Katie Price claims 'missing' husband Lee Andrews has three phones in bizarre new updateThe Communards star then mimicked putting the ashes into a coffin. “God’s mercy is as wide as the sea. It is our job to ensure we live in accordance with that,” he added.The Environment Agency rules on the separation of human and animal remains effectively bans even the scattering of ashes in graveyards and most cemeteries.‌The retired Church of England priest, who first rose to fame in the 1980s as half of pop duo The Communards, was ordained in 2005, serving in parishes until 2022. The reality star and bestselling author also writes the Canon Clement, often drawing on his unique journey from pop to pulpit.I'm A Celeb fans were left stunned by Coles' debut in the jungle in 2024, particularly after his saucy remark about the Royal Family.In one exchange Down Under, GK Barry - whose real name is Grace Keeling - asked the Reverend: "Who's the most interesting person you've ever met?" When Coles insisted that he finds all people interesting, GK further probed if he had ever encountered a member of the Royal Family.‌Admitting that he had, and when questioned about their demeanour, he cheekily retorted: "Great in bed..." before breaking into laughter.Viewers also saw GK quiz Coles about his experiences as a gay man in a religious role. She asked: "Did you find it quite difficult being gay and doing that job?"The Reverend candidly 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.."Article continues belowHe added: "Also, I was not the first. Sometimes I look at documents from the early church, or the church of the middle ages and I just think - so gay."Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.