Who is Kaz Coles? Sam Ryder’s best friend and tour manager on Celebrity Race Across the World

Who is Kaz Coles? He is Sam Ryder’s best friend and long-time tour manager, and he is joining the Eurovision star on the latest series of Celebrity Race Across the World.

Unlike Ryder, Kaz has largely stayed out of the spotlight. But that is about to change as the pair take on a 7,500km race from Malaysian Borneo to Melbourne with no flights, smartphones or bank cards.

Their friendship also goes back long before Ryder became a household name, with Kaz alongside him during his years touring in rock and punk bands.

So who is Kaz Coles, what does he do and how does he know Sam Ryder?

Who is Kaz Coles?

Kaz Coles is Sam Ryder’s best friend and long-standing tour manager, working behind the scenes as the singer travels around the world performing.

He has not previously had anything approaching Ryder’s public profile, but Celebrity Race Across the World is set to introduce him to millions of BBC viewers.

Their relationship stretches back to Ryder’s pre-fame years, when he was touring in rock and punk bands long before TikTok covers transformed his career.

Speaking on Paloma Faith’s Mad, Sad and Bad podcast earlier this year, Ryder said Kaz had been his tour manager since his punk-band days around 12 years ago, describing him as “a legend”.

That means Kaz has been there for the decidedly less glamorous years of Ryder’s career as well as the huge arenas, TV appearances and chart success that followed.

How does Kaz Coles know Sam Ryder?

Sam Ryder and Kaz Coles met through Ryder’s early music career and became close friends after spending years on the road together.

Ryder was touring with rock and metal bands long before he became famous as a solo artist, often travelling in vans and playing small venues.

In a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ryder said he and Kaz had already known each other for almost 10 years.

Kaz was also alongside Ryder for one of the biggest nights of his career when he represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin in 2022.

Ryder recalled watching the scores come in with his partner and Kaz as Space Man climbed the leaderboard. He eventually finished second overall behind Ukraine after topping the jury vote, giving the UK its best Eurovision result for decades.

Four years later, their friendship is being tested in a very different kind of competition.

What does Kaz Coles do?

Kaz works as Sam Ryder’s tour manager, a role that normally keeps him firmly behind the scenes.

Tour managers are responsible for helping keep an artist’s live schedule running smoothly, from travel and timings to venues and the practical demands of life on the road.

For Kaz, that has meant years travelling alongside Ryder as his career has grown from small gigs to major tours and international appearances.

Celebrity Race Across the World represents a rare move in front of the cameras.

Kaz joked about that when announcing the programme on social media, claiming that he was “the celebrity” and Sam was simply coming along for the ride.

How long have Sam Ryder and Kaz Coles been friends?

Sam Ryder and Kaz Coles have known each other for more than a decade.

Ryder said in 2022 they had already been friends for almost 10 years, while more recent comments suggest Kaz has been involved in his touring life for around 12 years.

Their friendship predates Ryder’s rise to fame and his breakthrough at Eurovision in 2022.

That history could prove useful on Celebrity Race Across the World, where the pairs are forced to rely heavily on each other while travelling on a limited budget and without the technology they would normally use.

Why are Sam Ryder and Kaz on Celebrity Race Across the World?

The BBC describes Kaz as both Ryder’s best friend and tour manager, making them one of four pairings taking part in the fourth celebrity series.

For Ryder and Kaz, the race also offers something of a return to their early days together.

The BBC says the pair relish the opportunity to revisit the period when roughing it while touring was normal for them.

They begin the race in Kuching in Malaysian Borneo before attempting to travel 7,500km across three countries and two continents, eventually reaching Melbourne in Australia.

There are no flights, smartphones or bank cards to make life easier. Each contestant has a budget of just £26 a day and must rely on public transport, maps, their own judgement and help from people they meet along the way.

When is Celebrity Race Across the World on TV?

Celebrity Race Across the World begins on Wednesday, October 28 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Sam Ryder and Kaz are competing against singer Ella Eyre and her childhood friend Nana Pepera, former Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling and his son Matt, and siblings Princess and Junior Andre.

The six-part series begins in Kuching before taking the contestants through Borneo, Sulawesi and Australia on their way to the finish line in Melbourne.