Springtime On The Farm: Kelvin has a go at milking goats, working with a sheepdog and harvesting rhubarb in the nightly show

As Emmerdale’s Andy Sugden, Kelvin Fletcher spent 20 years humping hay bales and driving tractors across the Dales.

Springtime On The Farm: Kelvin has a go at milking goats, working with a sheepdog and harvesting rhubarb in the nightly show

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Springtime On The Farm: Kelvin has a go at milking goats, working with a sheepdog and harvesting rhubarb in the nightly showCredit: C5
But now – as he presents Springtime On The Farm with Countryfile’s Adam Henson, Springwatch’s Lindsey Chapman and JLS-star-turned-deer-farmer JB Gill – Kelvin has a little confession to make.

“I know very little about farming!” he laughs.

“I’ve been fibbing to the public for all these years. People watching Emmerdale must have thought it was in my DNA, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I was brought up in the middle of a town [Oldham].

For the five-part documentary series, Kelvin visited various rural locations around Britain

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For the five-part documentary series, Kelvin visited various rural locations around BritainCredit: C5
Saying that, though, I’m a great outdoors person and I do a lot of camping with my family.”

For the five-part documentary series, Kelvin visited various rural locations around Britain, including a goat farm in Cirencester and a rhubarb farm near Leeds.

“The whole point of me being involved when I don’t have a great knowledge of the industry is to ask the questions that the audience would ask,” he admits.

“The farmers were very trusting. I was introduced to the goats quite quickly, and given some disinfectant to clean their teats, then I was milking them.”

So did he prove to be a dab hand?

“I did get some positive comments,” smiles Kelvin, 34.

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“But I’m not sure if the farmers were just excited about being on TV and felt obliged to say something positive! It was quite exciting for me – the newness of it all.

“I got quite giggly.”

Kelvin tells TV Mag that he’s still in touch with the Emmerdale castmates he left behind in 2016 – even if he doesn’t always watch the soap…

“I phoned Ryan Hawley [who plays Robert Sugden] the other night when he won an award, but my one confession is that I haven’t had much of a chance to see it recently,” he admits.

“I’m using the same excuse people used to give me: that they’re bathing their kids.

“Now I’m bathing my daughter [Marnie] when it’s on TV.

“I’m afraid if we have to decide between having Emmerdale or In The Night Garden on while we’re playing in the bathroom, it’s pretty obvious which one we’re going to choose!”