Duncan Preston: 'I was homeless and slept on the floor of Michael Kitchen's flat'

Actor Duncan Preston, 78, featured in most of Victoria Wood's TV shows including Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques, writes Peter Robertson.

Actor Duncan Preston, 78, featured in most of Victoria Wood's TV shows including Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques.

He also starred in the sitcom Surgical Spirit and has had roles in EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street.

Last seen in the Christmas Special of All Creatures Great And Small, he will next appear in The Good Ship Murder, also on Channel 5.

Divorced from actress Susan Penhaligon, Bradford-born Duncan now lives alone near Ilkley.

What did your parents teach you about money?

My father Sonny Preston was a haulage contractor, but much of his time was taken up with my mother Vera because she was schizophrenic and often required care. He tried his best to raise the three of us, but never talked to us about money.

I taught myself how to manage money. I now live near the mental health hospital where Mum was treated. It's been converted into flats and I nearly bought one until my younger brother Alan talked me out of it.

What was your first pay packet?

My first job was at 16 with the Halifax building society in Bradford and I started on £25 16s 8d per month. I spent that fairly quickly. I lasted two years and ended up in the Subscription Share Department. I had to work out all the interest in my head.

I wanted to do something more exciting so I joined an amateur theatre and someone said I should go to drama school. I couldn't believe it when I got into Rada.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Yes, when I trained at Rada, I tried to add to my grant of £112 a term by gambling in a casino and lost it in about 10 minutes. That stopped me gambling.

I was homeless at one point and three fellow students let me sleep on the floor of their flat in Belsize Park, London. One was Michael Kitchen, who starred in Foyle's War, and we're still friends.

I was on the breadline when I tested for the role of Maximillian Largo with Kim Basinger for 1983 Bond film Never Say Never Again, doing a love scene. I was in love with her for about 10 minutes, but her fella was always within 10ft! Sadly I didn't get the part.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

I was the male lead in ITV sitcom Surgical Spirit from 1989 until 1995, but Nichola McAuliffe was the real lead. My first pay packet for that was £2,500 per episode. By the fifth series, I was on £13,500 an episode which was ridiculous to me. It ran for seven series.

What's been the best year of your financial life?

I suppose it would have been the later years of Surgical Spirit. I didn't do a lot of telly – I was always a theatre actor. But I got that part because they'd seen me on Victoria Wood shows. She put me on the map. I used to say she was responsible for 80 per cent of my wages. In a group of actors Victoria regularly worked with, I was the token male! Julie Walters and I were an item at one point.

I asked her to marry me but she wouldn't. But I look at her Christmas card with joy every year.

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