Liz Fletcher has discussed some of the ups and downs of working with animals after embarking on a farming adventure with her husband Kelvin Fletcher and their four children
Liz Fletcher has discussed demonstrating animals at a show(Image: ITV)
Kelvin Fletcher’s wife Liz Fletcher has reflected upon an awkward incident at a farm show, which left the actress worrying that she’d embarrassed her family, before the couple’s young daughter thankfully saved the day.
Former Emmerdale star Kelvin and Liz have become known around the country for swapping their showbiz careers with running a farm in the Peak District, documented on the hit ITV programme ‘Fletchers’ Family Farm’.
The couple have been candid about the ups and downs of farming, and, in an unearthed 2024 interview with The Farmer’s Guardian podcast, Liz talked about her experience of going to a farm show and showing off some of the family’s livestock.
However, the first time she attended with the farm’s flock of sheep, all did not go to plan. She said: “The first show we went to, we actually showed our sheep, and my sheep was just the most embarrassing sheep ever.
“I didn’t realise but sheep are very good at pretending to be dead and that is what mine did. I completely embarrassed the whole family. I remember the judge actually said to me, ’10 out of 10 for behaviour’.
Kelvin and Liz Fletcher(Image: ITV)
“But nothing had happened, I was just standing still at that point and as soon as she went to look at the sheep’s teeth, he was just going like, jumping up, lying flat, and she went, ‘it doesn’t matter’.
“You could see everyone looking going, ‘Oh well’…What can you do? You know? They just do whatever they want so, yeah.”
However, all was not lost as Liz’s daughter Marnie ended up winning an award for fourth place on the same day, so the family put the mischievous sheep behind them.
Liz said: “But Marnie actually won at that show. She got a fourth place for hers. And I was crying my eyes out, you know, just the sense of pride.
“My daughter stood there with sheep. I think she was three or four at the time… and we took that little award home with absolute pride.”
Liz and Kelvin have documented their time on the farm(Image: Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Whilst Liz and Kelvin have had positive experiences with animals on their farm, they have also had their fair share of struggles. In one episode of the ITV programme covering their time on the farm, which aired in 2024, they had to make space for cattle, sheep and pigs to make their farm more sustainable.
This meant the pair had to say goodbye to their beloved alpacas. Speaking to shearer Kirstie about the matter, Liz said: “We’ll be sad to lose them, but we need the land back. We need it for the other animals.
“They’re an incredible animal, and when we’ve had the odd event at the farm, it’s been amazing. But what we really want to focus on now is what works commercially for us on the farm, so we can put money back into the farm, and they just don’t.”
Liz and Kelvin are due to appear on James Martin’s Saturday Morning that airs today (June 13) at 09.30 on ITV1.
