Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz have shared a monumental update, more than a year after a devastating fire rendered their family farmhouse uninhabitable. The emotional milestone was revealed during the season three finale of their ITV show, Fletchers' Family Farm.
A Long Road Back to the Farm
The couple, who have four children, faced a traumatic ordeal in October of last year. While the family of six was enjoying time away from their property, they received a distressing call from a neighbour alerting them to a serious fire at their farmhouse. The damage was so severe that they were forced to leave their home and seek temporary accommodation elsewhere, a situation that lasted for over a year.
In a significant step towards normality, the family has now taken delivery of a new temporary lodge, allowing them to live on their cherished farm once again. Announcing the move on the show, Kelvin stated: "As far as big days go, this one's huge. We're taking delivery of our new lodge, the final step in getting us back living on the farm after a year of renting following a fire in the farmhouse."
The Emotional and Logistical Toll
Liz Fletcher opened up about the exhausting reality of dealing with the aftermath, explaining that the process has been a full-time job. She detailed the endless surveys and administrative tasks that needed completing before any physical rebuilding could even begin.
"These things, dealing with the fire, it takes so much longer than you can ever imagine," Liz revealed. "It's a full-time job trying to go through the whole process... As well as then, we haven't even started the point of clearing the house out and actually making a start on that building work."
She expressed hope that being on-site in their temporary home would make the daunting renovation process more efficient. Kelvin highlighted the emotional core of their struggle, saying, "After everything we've been through this year, the hardest part has been feeling so disconnected as a family. Being back on the farm brings us back together again and we couldn't be happier."
Adapting to 'Posh Caravan' Living
The family's new temporary abode, which Liz light-heartedly dubbed a "posh caravan," marks the beginning of a new chapter. While thrilled to be home, they acknowledge the unique challenges of lodge living with four children.
"It's been a long road but our dream of returning to the farm is finally taking shape," Kelvin said in a voiceover. "But before we dig in, we've got to adapt to lodge living and with four kids in tow, that's a whole new kind of challenge."
Liz concurred about the practicalities but remained overwhelmingly positive about the move. "It'll just take the edge off of the upset of the fire I think," she said enthusiastically. "And when we do the renovation, we're here, we're on site, we're back. We're back on the farm." For the Fletcher family, this return represents far more than a change of address; it's the heartfelt reunion with their family life and livelihood.
