Peter Duncan, a multifaceted individual with a career spanning four decades, is a renowned actor, presenter, documentary maker, and former Chief Scout. With a passion for adventure, he has undertaken numerous daring stunts and activities, including competing in BBC1's acrobatic extravaganza Tumble and racing the rapids in the Balkans.
As the new action man on Blue Peter in 1980, Peter became known for his daredevil approach to life. He ran the first London Marathon in just over three hours and completed his last one in 2012, albeit at a slower pace. His Blue Peter days were filled with exciting stunts, such as fighting a sumo wrestler in Japan, cleaning the clock face of Big Ben, and escaping from a forest fire in Canada.
Peter's career began on stage, joining Olivier's National Theatre and spending the 1970s working exclusively as an actor. After his Blue Peter days, he transitioned to musical theatre, taking on roles such as Barnum, Bill Snibson in Me and my Girl, and Charlie Chaplin in The Little Tramp. His performances earned him an Olivier award nomination for Best Actor in a musical in 1995.
In recent years, Peter has played Charlie Peace at Nottingham Playhouse and Jack Firebrace in the tour of Birdsong. He has also taken on the roles of Macduff in Macbeth and Fantastic Mr Fox at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. Every year, he writes and directs his own pantomime, following in his parents' footsteps.
In the 1980s, Peter hosted his own series, Duncan Dares, which featured stunts such as driving across the Irish Sea in a VW Beetle, walking the high wire, and lying on a bed of nails with a tarantula and a python on his chest. He later produced a six-part documentary series, Travel Bug, for the BBC, in which he and his family backpacked around the world.
Other recent TV credits include the 26-part slapstick comedy series Demolition Dad for Five, Channel 4's The Games, and Celebrity Total Wipeout, in which he lost the final by one second. His work as an actor on TV has included a wide range of shows, such as The Childhood Friend, Sons and Lovers, Renoir My Father, Warship, Fathers and Families, Sam, Fallen Hero, Survivors, King Cinder, Oranges and Lemons, The Flockton Flyer, and Space 1999.
Peter's feature film credits include Stardust, Quilp, and a famous cameo in Flash Gordon, in which he was bitten by a tree monster and died. He is also a patron of several organizations, including Neighbourhood Midwives, Youth Music Theatre, and Action for Children's Arts. In recognition of his volunteer work as leader of the UK's half a million scouts, Peter was awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge.
