Actor Duncan Preston has revealed he has quit the ITV soap Emmerdale after five years

Emmerdale favourite Duncan Preston has hung up his acting boots and bade farewell to the Dales. The seasoned actor, widely known for playing Doug Potts, Laurel Thomas’ father in ITV’s Emmerdale, stepped back from the show in 2020 and now considers himself retired although he’s open to select projects, reports Birmingham Live.

He disclosed to This is Money: “To have enough to see myself out and certain other people too. I consider myself retired but if anything comes up that I want to do I will. I’d love to do one last really nice part.”

After a split with Susie [Penhaligon], he revealed: “I sold the Highgate flat for a good profit and bought a place twice as big for half the price coming back up to Yorkshire in 2015 after Susie [Penhaligon] and I split up, and that’s the house I have now.

“It’s in a lovely village and looks out over Ilkley Moor. It’s a 1950s detached property with four bedrooms and I rattle around in it, but I love it.”

Despite joining in 2007, insiders hint Preston’s already filmed his last scenes with “no plans” for a comeback. A Sun Online source spilled: “Duncan’s already filmed his final scenes at Emmerdale.” His stint on Emmerdale wasn’t short of drama, seeing Doug embroiled in a myriad of explosive storylines.

Emmerdale viewers witnessed Doug’s emotional turmoil following his divorce from Hilary, which was further complicated by an uncomfortable storyline involving an STI he contracted from Bonnie Drinkwater. In addition to supporting Diane through her cancer diagnosis, Doug was recently discovered covertly using cannabis around the village to alleviate his back pain.