Strictly Come Dancing‘s current reigning champ Kelvin Fletcher has opened up about how he and his wife Liz Marsland were able to avoid the show’s ‘curse’.

While several relationships have crumbled following stars’ participation on the popular BBC show, the 36-year-old actor revealed that he and his wife of five years were in their own ‘little bubble’ as they enjoyed the experience as a family.

The former Emmerdale star, who scooped the coveted glitterball late last year alongside dance partner Oti Mabuse, told Hello! magazine: ‘We look back on the whole Strictly experience fondly, one we experienced as a family together.’

Together forever: Strictly Come Dancing's current reigning champ Kelvin Fletcher has opened up about how he and his wife Liz Marsland were able to avoid the show's 'curse'
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Together forever: Strictly Come Dancing’s current reigning champ Kelvin Fletcher has opened up about how he and his wife Liz Marsland were able to avoid the show’s ‘curse’

The Manchester native added: ‘We’ve been together for many years and we’re so happy with each other, in our little bubble.’

Kelvin tied the knot with singer, actress and voice-over artist Liz – who he has known since the age of eight – in November 2015. They have two children together.

Within months of his Strictly win, the screen star’s busy schedule was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting nationwide lockdown.

Here comes the hotstepper: The former Emmerdale star scooped the coveted glitterball late last year alongside professional dance partner Oti Mabuse. Pictured in September 2019
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Here comes the hotstepper: The former Emmerdale star scooped the coveted glitterball late last year alongside professional dance partner Oti Mabuse. Pictured in September 2019

However, Kelvin admitted to Hello! that he took it as an opportunity to revel in a quiet and happy home life with his family.

He said: ‘After an intense four or five months of regular family life being disrupted, to be at the other end of the spectrum, where I’m constantly at home, in a weird way, it couldn’t have come at a better time for me and Liz, and for the kids.’

The lockdown meant that a host of auditions that were lined up for the actor were put on hold as the ‘world hit pause’ amid the lockdown.

‘I had two or three weeks when I was auditioning and having productive meetings, then COVID hit,’ he told the magazine.

‘It has been a little frustrating as things were stopped in their tracks, but I’m treating it as an opportunity to reset and have a longer post-Strictly holiday than expected.’

Kelvin has been treating fans to snippets of his home life during lockdown; in April, he took part in Strictly judge Shirley Ballas’ #keepdancingchallenge, which encouraged fans to learn full routines from the show.

Also in April, the star was seen whipping off his shirt for a work out in the garden. The whole family got involved, with the children crawling all over him at one point while Liz cooled him down by spraying him with the garden hose.

But Kelvin went with it – laughing off the water spray and improvising as his daughter Marnie, three, and son Milo, 18 months, climbed on him.

Last month, he shocked fans when he unveiled his new platinum blond hairdo, which he achieved with the help of his wife.

Joking about the arduous process of dyeing his hair, Kelvin said in a caption accompanying his Instagram snap: ‘From brunette to ginger (favourite part) to yellow. Now where’s that toner.’

Read Kelvin Fletcher’s full interview in the latest edition of Hello!, out now.

Blond ambition: Last month, he shocked fans when he unveiled his new platinum blond hairdo, which he achieved with the help of his wife
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Blond ambition: Last month, he shocked fans when he unveiled his new platinum blond hairdo, which he achieved with the help of his wife

Doting dad: Kelvin and his wife are parents to daughter Marnie, three, and son Milo, 18 months
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Doting dad: Kelvin and his wife are parents to daughter Marnie, three, and son Milo, 18 months