Kelvin Fletcher has admitted he can no longer imagine life on the family farm without the cameras that have documented their rural lives for the past five years. The former Emmerdale actor, 42, made the confession as he and his wife Liz prepare for a sixth series of ITV's Fletcher's Family Farm.
From soap star to farmer
The actor became a household name playing Andy Sugden in the ITV soap before taking a huge leap into agriculture alongside his wife Liz, 43, a former Hollyoaks actress. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star at the National Television Awards, Kelvin reflected on how far the family have come since first agreeing to document their lives.
“I think this was a big leap for us five years ago to let the cameras into our lives,” he said. “It’s been an amazing experience.”
Cameras 'part of the family'
Kelvin explained that having a film crew around has become a normal part of their everyday routine. “It’s still new territory for us in many ways and when you’ve got a film crew there one might think it would be a bit of an issue, but it’s the opposite,” he said.
“We can’t imagine them not being there now. They’re part of the family and I think that comes across in the show.”
Farming's unpredictability
Kelvin and Liz have four children – Marnie, Milo, Mateusz and Maximus – meaning their farm is rarely short of drama even before the cameras start rolling. Kelvin believes that unpredictability is part of what makes farming such compelling television.
“I think that’s the beauty of the show and the beauty of farming as no two days are ever the same,” he said.
No time for other projects
The Fletcher family have been compared with fellow celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson, whose Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm has been a huge hit. However, Kelvin revealed the pair have never sat down together to swap farming stories. “No, we haven’t yet,” he admitted. “We haven’t had the opportunity for that to happen yet.”
Kelvin joked that the family’s packed schedule leaves little room for another major project. “We just don’t have the time to do anything else between running after four kids and looking after the farm,” he said.
The couple have started welcoming visitors to the farm, with Liz revealing they have hosted seasonal pop-up events, including a maize maze and a farm feast. Meanwhile, their eldest daughter Marnie, eight, has landed the role of Lexi Roscoe on Hollyoaks. Kelvin said he is hugely proud of his daughter and has kept his advice simple: “We are supportive parents. My advice to her is just work hard, show up on time and know your lines. That’s it.”
