Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher has been married to his wife Liz Marsland for more than a decade.
Fletchers’ Family Farm: Kelvin shares series four update
Best known for his role in ITV’s Emmerdale, Kelvin Fletcher has successfully reinvented himself since stepping away from the soap spotlight.
The actor, who played Andy Sugden for 20 years before departing the show in 2016, went on to win the hearts of the nation when he lifted the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball Trophy alongside professional dancer Oti Mabuse in 2019.
In recent years, Kelvin has embraced a completely different way of life. In 2021, he and his family left Manchester behind and settled on a farm in the Peak District, where he now spends his days learning the ropes of livestock farming.
His rural adventure has been documented in ITV’s Fletcher’s Family Farm, which follows Kelvin, wife Liz and their four children as they navigate the challenges and rewards of country living. The series has proved a hit with viewers, who have enjoyed watching the family’s farming journey and the couple’s down-to-earth relationship unfold on screen.
As Kelvin and his wife, Liz, continue to display their bond on screen, we’ve delved into the origins of their relationship.
First encounter and split
The pair first met as children(Image: Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Kelvin and Liz’s journey started in childhood, having initially crossed paths when they were merely eight years old.
However, their friendship didn’t blossom into romance until considerably later, when they rekindled their connection in 2009.
Nevertheless, the couple temporarily parted ways in 2010 before reuniting later that same year, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Marriage and children
The couple share four children(Image: ITV)
In 2015, the couple tied the knot in a beautiful wedding ceremony at London’s One Mayfair. Explaining why the couple chose to marry in London rather than the more anticipated countryside setting, Kelvin told Hello!: “We did consider a more traditional country wedding but we both love London and thought we would make a weekend of it for everyone just before Christmas.
“We had people coming from far and wide so it seemed like a good place to all come together.”
Kelvin also told the publication at the time: “I knew I wanted to marry Liz the day I met her. Deep down I knew she was The One. The image of Liz coming towards me up the aisle will live with me forever. She took my breath away. She looked so beautiful.”
A year after exchanging vows, the delighted couple welcomed their first child, Marnie, in August 2016.
She was followed by Milo, born in December 2018, and twin boys Maximus and Mateusz, who arrived in August 2022.
Going the distance
The pair have been open about their long-lasting relationship(Image: ITV)
In 2023, Kelvin opened up candidly about his relationship with Liz, revealing what he believes has kept their marriage going strong through the years.
Appearing on Amelia Singer’s podcast Ameliarate Through Wine, the former Emmerdale star offered his views on what makes a lasting partnership.
“Work hard, like anything in life. You’ve got to put the hard work in. You take your vows. You got to take those seriously for better or for worse. And in sickness and in health. And that is it,” Kelvin said. Reflecting on the inevitable highs and lows that every couple encounters, he went on to say: “You know, there’s times through life, the colour of life, the variety of life you’ll get all of that.
“In the testing times you’ve got to have faith in what you are doing, and why you decided to take those vows, and see it through, as simple as that.”
Liz also offered her own thoughts during the interview, revealing that humour and working towards common goals are essential ingredients for a fulfilling relationship. She suggested that couples should work “your dreams out together,” before adding: “Don’t hold each other back. Just pursue what you need to do but do it as a team.”
Fletcher’s Family Farm is available to watch on ITVX.
