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Preston (singer)

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Preston
Preston performing in 2015
Preston performing in 2015
Background information
Birth nameSamuel Dylan Murray Preston
Also known asPreston
Born (1982-01-16) 16 January 1982 (age 42)
Worthing, West Sussex, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • banjo
  • keyboard
  • kazoo
Years active2002–present
LabelsB-Unique Records

Samuel Dylan Murray Preston (born 16 January 1982), more commonly known simply as Preston, is an English singer-songwriter in the band the Ordinary Boys. He also appeared in the reality television show Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, in which he finished fourth. After the Ordinary Boys split in 2008, he embarked on a songwriting career. In 2013, he officially reunited the Ordinary Boys and in 2015 they released their self-titled comeback album.

Early life

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Samuel Preston was born in Worthing, West Sussex. He was educated at Sompting Abbotts Preparatory School and Bishop Luffa School in Chichester. He is the son of Anthony and Miranda Preston (born in Philadelphia), and brother to Alex and Lucy Preston. His grandfather was the Princeton University English professor Samuel Hynes.[1] His brother, Alex Preston, is a novelist.[2] In his teenage years, Samuel Preston lived in Philadelphia with his mother's side of the family. He is a descendant of the 19th-century British Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey.[3][4]

Music career

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Preston became the lead singer of Worthing-based pop group, the Ordinary Boys. They had several top-ten releases in the UK Singles Chart. Their best known song, "Boys Will Be Boys", is featured in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

After the Ordinary Boys split, Preston started working on material for a solo album, and released the song "Dressed to Kill", on 5 July 2009 as part of T4.[citation needed] The song samples the introduction from the song "Happy House" by Siouxsie and the Banshees.[5] The single was released on 7 September 2009 but failed to chart after Preston had to delay the launch and pull out of promotional performances after breaking both arms in a bicycle accident.[6] He is also a songwriter.[7] In 2011, Preston co-wrote the number one Olly Murs song "Heart Skips a Beat". Preston announced the re-forming of the Ordinary Boys in 2011, and a new 12-date tour. Preston also co wrote the song and duet "Beautiful" by Enrique Iglesias and Kylie Minogue for their respective albums, and his track "Dressed to Kill" was re-recorded by American singer Cher for her album Closer to the Truth.

TV appearances

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In January 2006, Preston appeared on Channel 4's fourth series of Celebrity Big Brother. During his time in the house he became close to the eventual winner, Chantelle Houghton. Preston was evicted during the final episode on 27 January 2006, finishing in fourth place.

In 2007, Preston filmed a documentary on voodoo for Channel 4.[8] He has also presented Top of the Pops and CD:UK.

In January 2007, Preston appeared as a guest panellist on comedy gameshow Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Series 20, Episode 3). He walked out of the studio during the programme's recording, offended by jokes made at Houghton's expense by the show's host Simon Amstell, who read extracts from Chantelle's autobiography. In an interview with NME after the incident, he claimed that Simon Amstell didn't write his own jokes, and called him a "snotty little posh boy".[9] He later regretted this, reflecting to the BBC "I'm struggling to think why I would have acted so weird." Speaking of Amstell, Preston said he is "funny, charming and likeable, which made it [walking off] all the more embarrassing".[10]

On 24 August 2010, he returned to the Big Brother franchise for Ultimate Big Brother, along with his now ex-wife Chantelle; he finished sixth.

Personal life

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A week after the end of Celebrity Big Brother, Preston became engaged to his longtime French girlfriend, Camille Aznar. He kept in contact with Houghton from the Big Brother show, and broke up with Aznar a month later to allow Houghton to move into his Brighton flat. He and Houghton got engaged on 11 April 2006 and,[11] in an exclusive £300,000 each deal with OK! magazine,[12] they were married on 25 August 2006 at Dartmouth House in Mayfair, London.

After their honeymoon, the couple moved to Preston's flat in Brighton, East Sussex.

Preston and Houghton announced their separation on 27 June 2007,[13] and received the decree nisi for their divorce on 21 November 2007.[14]

Preston moved to Philadelphia in 2008, where he lived for three years. He is a citizen of the United States by virtue of being born to an American mother.

In 2017, he was hospitalised following a fall from a balcony while on holiday in Denmark.[15] As of 2018, Preston is engaged to Emily Smith.[16][needs update]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title Chart Position
2009 Whatever Forever
  • Released: (Album Shelved)
  • Label: B-Unique
 N/A

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
2009 "Dressed to Kill" N/A Whatever Forever

Songwriting discography

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References

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  1. ^ "Alex Preston Q & A". Faber & Faber. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. ^ Spanier, Gideon (5 January 2010). "Who to watch in 2010". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010.
  3. ^ "Interview: Preston of the Ordinary Boys". the Guardian. 18 February 2006.
  4. ^ "What Preston's ancestor did as PM". 20 February 2006 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Cher covers Preston from The Ordinary Boys' solo single on new album". NME. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. ^ Corner, Lewis (14 October 2013). "Cher: 'Closer to the Truth' – Album review". Digital Spy. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. ^ Preston, Samuel (5 August 2010). "Life Waited". Preston. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  8. ^ "The Beginner's Guide to Voodoo". Channel 4. 18 October 2007.
  9. ^ "What Can We Learn from Preston Walking off 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' Ten Years Ago?". 16 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Ordinary Boys' Preston: 'I regret walking off 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks - NME". NME. 6 August 2009.
  11. ^ "Chantelle and Preston get engaged". BBC News. 12 April 2006.
  12. ^ "Chantelle Houghton: The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan: Season 1, Episode 8". IMDb. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Big Brother couple end marriage". BBC. 27 June 2007.
  14. ^ "Big Brother pair granted divorce". BBC. 22 November 2007.
  15. ^ Trendell, Andrew (12 September 2017). "The Ordinary Boys' Preston hospitalised after falling from balcony while drunk". NME.
  16. ^ "Sam Preston's fiancé Emily offers fans an update on his progress after the CBB star's horrifying balcony fall". OK!. 1 January 2018.
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