Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher has admitted he knows his work and family is valued as he ditched the ITV soap for a new life in the country with his wife and kids

Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher admitted he knows his work and family is valued after swapping the soap for farm life.

The actor, who is known for his portrayal of Andy Sugden in the ITV soap, now enjoys a very different way of life with his wife Liz Marsland. They decided to embark on a new life in the country with their young children after buying a 120-acre farm in the Peak District in 2021.

Kelvin and Liz live alongside their 100 sheep, 30 pigs, 10 horses, six chickens, a cat and Ginger the dog – not to mention their four children who are all under seven. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the couple, having previously split when he was bombarded by fans’ risque texts and images.

However, the pair managed to patch things up and are now relishing their farmland bliss. Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Kelvin said: “I think for me, I personally don’t want to seek any sort of validation elsewhere. I know how valued we are as a family and what we do in our small family farm, and I share that with every other family farm.

Kelvin and Liz live happily on their farm with their four kids ( 
Image:
ITV)

“You take great pride in producing food and having a real acknowledgement towards nature, towards the habitat. You’re a custodian of the land, and it’s a privilege.” The family decided to document their new pursuit in the TV series Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure and Fletchers’ Family Farm, with a Christmas special set to air on ITV on Sunday.

Kelvin said he hopes programmes like his help “bridge the gap” between farming communities and the public by showing who is producing their food. “Once you get an understanding of something, like any subject, then appreciation follows, and that’s what we all endeavour to do,” he added.

Back in 2010, Kelvin was thrown into single life when he was bombarded by fans’ risque texts and images, leading to a split. A close source told the Sun at the time: “Liz has always been jealous of the attention Kelvin receives. He is always getting stopped by girls wanting his autograph when he’s on nights out. Kelvin assures her nothing goes on but over the years it has worn her down and she decided that she just couldn’t continue seeing him.”

Post-split, the pair resolved their differences and reunited, though Kelvin conceded his televised smooches were hard for her. Sharing with the same outlet, he said: “I do ring her up and say, ‘I’m kissing so-and-so today’ and make a joke about it. That’s how we deal with it. But Liz won’t watch the show because she gets too jealous. To me, though, it’s just work.”

The actor admitted he could see why his partner might be bothered by his interactions with eager fans, but Liz had made peace with it, and it was no longer a bone of contention in their relationship. Kelvin first met his wife Liz, 40, when they were merely eight years old, but they officially became a couple later in life after reuniting in 2009. They subsequently said their vows six years later in a lavish ceremony at London’s One Mayfair.