Boyd Daniel Clack was born on 7 March 1951 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Welsh parents. While he was still young, the family emigrated to Tonyrefail in the Rhondda Valley, the village his family were originally from, and Clack grew up there, immersed in the community and culture that would later shape much of his writing.
Clack wrote and starred in two much-loved BBC Wales sitcoms: Satellite City (1996-1999), in which he played Gwynne, and High Hopes (2002-2008, 2015), in which he played Sergeant Ball. Both series were rooted firmly in Welsh working-class life and won him a devoted following. He also appeared as the vicar in the acclaimed 1997 Welsh film Twin Town, and has continued acting in film and television, including Under Milk Wood (2015), Keeping Faith and Timestalker (2024).
Beyond acting, Clack has published the first volume of his autobiography, Kisses Sweeter than Wine, and released two music albums, Welsh Bitter and Labourer of Love. He is a vocal supporter of Welsh independence and stood as the Plaid Cymru candidate for Cardiff West at the 2019 general election.