From Freddie Flintoff to Coronation Street actors and sports stars - 20 famous people you may not know were born, lived or studied in Preston
Many Prestonians have made us proud as they've become household names in various walks of life.
By Adam Lord
Published 17th Feb 2022, 12:02 BST
International sports stars, actors, TV presenters and more, lots of people born in the city are very familiar faces.
Here is our tribute to 20 of the more well-known names linked to the city. This is not a definitive list – just a flavour of what we have had to offer the worlds of music, theatre, broadcasting, sport and beyond.
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5. Sir Tom Finney
Preston's favourite son. The late Sir Thomas 'Tom' Finney, remembered in above video clip, was an English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his League club, Preston North End, for whom he made 569 first-class appearances, and for his performances in the England national side. Born at home in Preston next to the Deepdale Stadium, his name is synonymous with the town and he is much loved by the people of the city. He was knighted in the 1998 New Year Honours.
Born in 1934, the actor and musician lived in Preston at the time of his death in 2016. He is best known for portraying the character R2-D2 in six of the Star Wars films. Baker, who stands 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) tall had formed a successful comedy act called the Minitones with entertainer Jack Purvis when George Lucas hired him to be the man inside R2-D2 in 1976. He was in multiple other films and later had a stand-up career.