How to Be in Love: Richard Coles: On losing the love of his life and casual roadside encounters

Rylan is joined by the writer and broadcaster Reverend Richard Coles who shares how his life, and his faith, have shaped his understanding of love.

Richard discusses how he turned his back on the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle and anonymous roadside romances, to follow the calling of Christ to become a vicar. He also speaks about finding the love of his life, in his late partner David, and how his experience of grief had him believe he would never want to love again. Richard opens up about how he navigated losing love, to rediscovering it once more with his current partner, and shares his belief on what he thinks love will look like in the afterlife.

How to Be in Love – Rylan has loved passionately, lost messily, and is now ready to rediscover what ‘love’ is. But does he need to look at love differently before he can find it again?

Host: RylanAssistant Producer: Ben JohnsProducer: Katie GrantProduction Manager: Francesca BassettExecutive Producers: Arron FellowsMusic: Miguel d'OliveiraAssistant Commissioner: Will DrysdaleCommissioning Editor: Rhian RobertsA Mindhouse production for BBC Sounds

How to Be in Love - Rylan is embarking on a mission to find love. He’s loved passionately, lost messily, and is now ready to find love once again.

But what is love truly about? And how can we find it – and make it last?

From a young age, we’re taught that love is the ultimate fairytale – that finding ‘the one’ will finally complete us. But is it time to look at love differently?

Over 13 episodes, Rylan’s guests will help him rediscover what love is – what we should be looking for in a partner (or partners!) and attempting to find the secrets of a healthy, long-term relationship.

A Mindhouse production for BBC Sounds.

• No. of episodes: 30
• Latest episode: 2025-06-25
• Society & Culture Personal Journals

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