Emmerdale star reveals the secret to his long happy marriage of 37 years
An Emmerdale icon admitted he considers himself ‘retired’ after quitting the soap in 2020.
Known as a prominent actor in England, Duncan Preston gained recognition for portraying Doug Potts in the ITV series between 2007 and 2011, with him reappearing in that role again from 2014 until 2020.
His character’s storyline saw him moving Down Under for a brand-new life with Betty Eagleton.
Having stepped away from acting, the performer expressed his desire for a final, memorable role by saying, “I’d be thrilled to take on one more outstanding part.
‘To have enough to see myself out and certain other people too,’ he told This Is Money.
I may be considered retired, but should an opportunity arise that appeals to me, I won’t hesitate to take it on. I have one more project in mind that I’d like to complete with finesse.
The star will be next seen on Channel Five’s beloved drama Good Ship Murder.
Apart from sharing that he is currently unmarried following his divorce from Susan Penhaligon, it’s worth noting they got married way back in 1986.
In the year 2006, the ex-pair encountered each other while both were working on the set of Emmerdale. At that time, Susan was portraying the character of Jean Hope, who was the first wife of Bob Hope in the series.
In 1992, the pair parted ways and divorced, a decision they later regretted, only to reconcile in 1997. However, their relationship ended again since then.
Duncan explained, “In 2015, when Susie (Penhaligon) and I separated, I sold our Highgate flat for a substantial gain and used the funds to buy a larger property at nearly half the price. This is the home that I reside in now after returning to Yorkshire.
The house is situated in a charming little town that overlooks Ilkley Moor. It’s a spacious, detached property from the 1950s with four bedrooms. Despite being quite large, I often find myself moving about freely within it, yet I cherish it deeply.
Inside sources from Coronation Street are dismissing speculations that the ITV soap opera is facing difficulties due to a financial predicament.
There’s been a lot of talk suggesting that there are problems happening off-screen on the cobblestones, as six cast members have decided to leave within a mere span of two months.
The show has experienced a significant drop in viewership and, more recently, has relinquished its title as the highest-rated ITV daytime drama to Emmerdale.
Speaking to The Mirror, a soap insider admitted that there are big changes afoot for the soap.
Despite their assertions, the show is not at all teetering on the edge of falling apart. In fact, there are numerous thrilling and dramatic storylines in store.
It was mentioned that Corrie’s future plan for the series guarantees it will continue appearing on our screens for many more years.
Fans need not worry about the soap disappearing within the next ten years, as there is absolutely no sign of its imminent demise.
The source stated: ‘In essence, it means that as some old acquaintances are departing, others will return, and fresh faces might be exactly what the program requires.’
The news arises as ITV soap opera faces difficulties, with rumors of a financial crunch and unrest among actors due to unfavorable work environments and insufficient wages.
Since November, Charlotte Jordan, Sue Cleaver, Sue Devaney, Colson Smith, Luca Toola, and Shelley King have each confirmed their departure from the series.
Other actors have reportedly vented their fury on a WhatsApp group over fears they could be next.
As reported by The Sun, the 9pm-10pm episode aired on Thursday had approximately 2.5 million viewers. This number represents only about 10% of the 27 million people who tuned in to witness Hilda Ogden’s farewell back in 1987, when ratings were at their peak.
Instead of airing on its regular Friday timeslot, the network shifted the episode to accommodate the live broadcast of the FA Cup match between Aston Villa and West Ham.
Consequently, Coronation Street faced competition from BBC’s reality game show, The Traitors, that attracted a viewership of five million.
The poor viewing figures for the show caused it to trail behind Emmerdale with approximately 3.5 million viewers, while BBC’s EastEnders attracted about 2.8 million spectators.
The show struggled to compete with Emmerdale, which had an audience of around 3.5 million viewers, and BBC’s EastEnders managed to draw in about 2.8 million viewers.
Or simply:
Emmerdale outperformed the struggling show by attracting 3.5 million viewers, while EastEnders on BBC pulled in 2.8 million viewers.
Additionally, this implies that “The Street” has dropped from the list of the ten most viewed programs of the day, a phenomenon last observed on Christmas Day, when fans bid farewell to Helen Worth, who played Gail Platt for an impressive 50 years.
According to a source, The Sun was informed that Coronation Street, once ITV’s most prized gem, now evokes feelings of sadness among its cast members.
The representative for the show responded by saying, “Primetime on Thursdays at 9 PM doesn’t typically align with our broadcast schedule. Additionally, it neglects to consider viewers who watch on ITVX.
On Monday, the viewership for the knife-crime episode reached a high of 3.9 million viewers. When combined with the rest of its viewing figures, this will align with an average of 4.4 million viewers in 2024, making it the most popular soap opera on television at that time.
A number of the series’ middle-tier actors and rising stars are reportedly concerned that their roles might be eliminated as part of cost-cutting measures.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel apprehensive that some of the newer cast members might find themselves exiting the show to make room for long-standing stars such as Bill Roache and Jack P. Shepherd.
According to a source, there’s an active WhatsApp chat filled with discussions about where the potential cuts might occur next.
current times are challenging for the soap opera, and these difficulties seem to be trickling down. There’s an overall sense that layoffs may occur to reduce expenses and ensure that key cast members such as Bill Roache and Jack P Shepherd continue to stay with us.
The insider added that cast members have also complained about the long working hours.
I can’t help but echo their sentiments, having been a devoted fan myself. It seems filming isn’t easy; one individual complained about feeling like a hardworking pooch. Gone are the days of hefty paychecks, it appears.
TopMob contacted representatives of Coronation Street for comment at the time.
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2025-01-18 20:04