Doug was a working writer for ABC Radio's comedy department in the 1980s, before spending two years as head writer of Network Ten's The Comedy Company. He was a writer on the sketch comedy programs Fast Forward and Full Frontal. He has been the script editor of Kath & Kim since the series commenced on the ABC .

As a break from sketch comedy he co-wrote five episodes of Sea Change with Andrew Knight.

He currently co-writes the animated children's series Dogstar which won him the inaugural John Hinde prize for science fiction in 2008. He is currently working on series two with co-writer Philip Dalkin.

In 2008 Doug won the Fred Parsons Award for Contribution to Australian Comedy at the Australian Writer Guilds Awards ..

He is currently the writer of Call Girl the Musical, with Tracy Harvey which has performed two seasons in Melbourne .

With John Clarke, he co-wrote a musical adaptation of the children's book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.

He has written the following story books for children and young people:

• Sister Madge's Book of Nuns http://dougmacleod.com.au/sister-madge.php
• Siggy and Amber
• Tumble Turn
• Spiky Spunky, My Pet Monkey
• Leon Stumble's Book of Stupid Fairytales
• I'm Being Stalked by a Moon Shadow
• Kevin the Troll
• The Clockwork Forest
• My Extraordinary Life & Death
• The Life of a Teenage Body-snatcher

Doug has a website at http://www.dougmacleod.com.au