ITV stars Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz have opened up about their unexpected transition into farming, revealing how a dream of moving to America took an unforeseen turn and led them to the Peak District countryside.
In a repeat episode of James Martin’s Saturday Morning airing on 13 June at 9:30am on ITV1, the couple discussed their popular series, Fletchers’ Family Farm. The show chronicles their life on an 18th-century farm alongside their four children as they navigate the challenges of rural living.
Originally, farming was never part of their plan. Kelvin shared with host James Martin, “We thought it might be interesting—certainly to us—our journey into farming and this new life. We pitched the idea, and ITV liked it. Four series later, here we are.”
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James recapped their backstory, noting that Kelvin and Liz initially planned to move to America. Liz explained, “Kelvin had been acting in Emmerdale for 20 years and wanted a change. Being actors, we thought, why not try our luck in Hollywood? We had two kids at the time, but COVID halted everything. The visas were paused for at least two years.”
With their plans disrupted and their home sold, the couple turned their attention to a local farm. “That’s when we saw the farm, and the idea just came from there,” Liz said.
Despite neither coming from farming backgrounds, and Kelvin having only portrayed a farmer on television without real farming experience, they embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. Kelvin humorously reflected, “I was on Emmerdale playing a farmer, but really, I knew little about farming. I spent more time acting out prison scenes or marriages. Life truly imitated art in a bizarre way.”
He added, “Moving from plans to live in LA to farming in the Peak District seemed unlikely, but it evolved naturally. We wanted a quieter life, closer to nature for our kids. Everyone around here has sheep, so we got some too.”
Liz shared how the couple’s initial hope for an idyllic lifestyle quickly turned into a passion for farming after acquiring ten sheep. Kelvin admitted, “It’s a small family farm and overwhelming at times, but we’ve become obsessed. Honestly, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Liz concluded with a laugh, “Looking back, I don’t think we’d have lasted two minutes in LA! Farming has given us a chance to learn and correct our mistakes.”
Fletchers’ Family Farm and James Martin’s Saturday Morning are both available to stream on ITVX.