After realising a dream by setting up his very own farm with wife Liz Marsland and their children, former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher is now a real-life Andy Sugden. With their then two children Marnie, six, and Milo, four, the couple relocated to the Peak District, where they purchased a 120-acre farm on the edge of the Peak District National Park.
He might have won winning Best Actor and Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards playing farmer Andy in the Yorkshire-set ITV soap from 1996 until his exit in 2016, but neither Kelvin nor his wife had previous farming experience. Last year their own BBC One documentary series Kelvin's Big Farming Adventure saw their journey to restoring the farmland back to its former glory and running it themselves.
And the escape to the country has been a life-changing adventure for Kelvin, from Oldham, who is also a racing car driver. As a thank you to the public for their support the star, who wowed the judges and viewers with his dancing skills when he won Strictly Come Dancing with Oti Mabuse in 2019, is opening the farm to the public for the first time for Easter.
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Kelvin, who welcomed twin boys with Liz last May, told us about farming life with four young kids: "It has been amazing," he said. "It has been everything we wanted and more. It's chaotic but we thrive on it.
"I've always loved the outdoors and countryside and I always had a bit of a dream and a vision of bringing up our family on our own farm. Who would have thought it? Playing a farmer and now here I am."
The Fletcher Farm is now open to the public for a spring trail where visitors can spot the animals on the farm, see the first lambs of lambing season and pygmy goats and collect hidden Easter eggs. Alice and the Easter Bunny will also greet visitors in a magical wonderland with an interactive show before they exchange the eggs for real chocolate ones.
Proceeds from the half-term event, which opened today (Saturday April 1) and running to Sunday, April 16, will go to the Peak District National Park Foundation, a conservation and access charity which exists to raise funds and support for the Peak District National Park.
Kelvin, who last year starred alongside Sheridan Smith in the Channel 5 drama The Teacher, said: "We're really excited. It's the first time people have been able to come and visit the farm.
"We'll be manning it and it will be real family day out, regardless of the weather, rain or shine. We'll be encouraging kids to be kids and if they see a puddle, jump in it.
"There will be four sessions a day and people will get to see live action on the farm. We've got pygmy goats, piglets and alpacas. This is our second lambing season on the farm. We had 30 lambs last year and we're expecting 90 this year."
He added: "Getting the farm was stepping out of our comfort zone and from myself and Liz and the kids this is a little pop-up and a thank you to the public who have come on this journey with us." To book a place on Fletchers On The Farm Easter Wonderland click here and visit Eventbrite.com
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