Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher and his wife, Liz, have opened up about their abandoned plans to move to America, revealing how the Covid-19 pandemic led them on an unexpected journey into farming.
From Hollywood to the Hills: A Pandemic Pivot
Appearing on James Martin's Saturday Morning, the couple explained that their original vision was far from the rural life they now lead. They had secured visas and sold their house with the intention of relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting opportunities. However, the global health crisis brought their American dream to an abrupt halt.
"As two actors, we thought, 'Well, why not? Let's go to Hollywood and LA and see what happens'," Liz Fletcher recounted. "We only had two children at the time, but unfortunately, Covid stopped that. They actually stopped the visas." She revealed that authorities paused the process for at least two years, leaving the family in limbo after they had already mentally and physically prepared for the move.
The Birth of an Unlikely Farming Venture
With their plans upended, the Fletchers faced a critical decision. "We'd mentally moved on, hadn't we? We sold the house, and we were like, 'Well, what are we going to do now?'" Liz said. It was at this pivotal moment that they discovered a farm, sparking an idea that would become their new reality.
Despite Kelvin having played farmer Andy Sugden on the ITV soap for two decades, he admitted they had no practical farming experience whatsoever. "The irony, James, is that I was playing a farmer for 20 years, but as you'll know, with soaps, we did very little farming," he told the host. "It was more shooting people with shotguns, going to prison, getting married three or four times."
Life Imitating Art for Four Series and Counting
Their leap of faith into agriculture was documented and pitched to ITV, resulting in the successful series Kelvin's Big Farming Adventure. The couple confirmed they have just finished filming the third series and are already working on a fourth. "We just kind of thought, it's hopefully of interest," Kelvin said. "It's interesting to us and our journey into farming and to this new life... and four series later, we're still doing it."
Reflecting on the dramatic change from their original ambitions, Kelvin noted the stark contrast: "From Los Angeles to the Peak District, it's probably not an obvious connection." Yet, the unexpected turn of events has forged a new path for the family, one they continue to share with audiences, proving that sometimes the best-laid plans can lead to surprisingly rewarding destinations.
