Preston started her career on stage at the age of five in her native
North East of England. Some of her early acting experience was with Stockton Youth Theatre, where she performed in acclaimed productions of
Hair,
Jesus Christ Superstar and
Sweet Charity alongside
Mark Benton and
Marcus Bentley. She continued to be involved in many theatre and independent productions until she left for London, where she trained at the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) for three years and gained a diploma in acting. Classmates included
Andrew Lincoln and
Stephen Mangan. During her time at
RADA, Preston developed skills in stage fighting. She excelled in this, earning high qualifications and the coveted John Barton Prize. One of her first jobs after leaving RADA was in the feature film
The House of Angelo. Her first major TV role was playing
Karen Newburn in the BBC drama series
Holby City. She played the straight-talking, no-nonsense ward sister who clashes with ex-husband and cardiothoracic registrar
Nick Jordan, played by
Michael French. They battled throughout the first two series and their tempestuous relationship became one of the leading storylines. Other regular appearances include
EastEnders,
In Deep,
Steel River Blues and
Extras. Preston has guest starred in several other shows including
Vera,
The Last Detective,
Where the Heart Is and
Doctors. ==Writing==