Best Known For:
His association with Victoria Wood, and playing Doug Potts in Emmerdale.
Early-life:
Duncan was born in Bradford in 1946. He attended drama classes at the Bradford Civic in Little Germany and went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his TV debut in a 1964 episode of Crossroads. He began his association with Victoria Wood by playing various characters in the 1982 sketch comedy series Wood and Walters.
Career:
Preston went on to work with Victoria Wood on a number of other projects, including Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, Victoria Wood, Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast, Pat and Margaret, dinnerladies, and the stage version of Acorn Antiques: The Musical. Preston has also made guest appearances in a number of TV shows, with notable performances in Coronation Street, Harry Enfield and Chums, and Surgical Spirit. Since 2007, he has played Doug Potts in Emmerdale. He is also a renowned Shakespearean actor, having performed in a number of productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Quote:
'I've done a soap and seen actors on their first day say, ‘My character wouldn't say that'. I'm sorry, but it's not your place to say that. Writers spend a lot more time writing scripts than we do acting them.'
Trivia:
Preston was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Bradford in 2002.