Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz Marsland have been together for 15 years and are happier than ever on their farm – but their marriage hasn’t always been smooth sailing
Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher is now relishing in farmland bliss with his wife of nine years, Liz Marsland.
The actor, who has swapped fame for farming, now has 100 sheep, 30 pigs, 10 horses, six chickens, a cat and a dog – plus a brood of four. Kelvin, 39, and his actress wife Liz, decided to embark on a new life in the country last year and shared their drastic lifestyle change with fans on their series, Fletcher’s Family Farm.
The couple made the big decision to take on a 120-acre holding on the edge of the Peak District three years ago. Now, Kelvin says he knows his work and family are valued. Appearing on BBC Breakfast yesterday, he said: “I know how valued we are as a family and what we do in our small family farm, and I share that with every other family farm.”
Kelvin and Liz first met when they were eight years old, but officially got together much later in life when they reunited in 2009. Six years later, they tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony at London’s One Mayfair. At the time, Kelvin told HELLO! Magazine: “I knew I wanted to marry Liz the day I met her. Deep down I knew she was ‘the one.'”
During their 15-year romance, the couple has had ups and downs but appear happier than ever now. After taking on the world of farming, it’s unlikely Kelvin will be met with many keen fans day to day or have to kiss any of his colleagues – both of which reportedly caused feuds between the couple at the start of their relationship.
In 2010, Kelvin was dumped by Liz after he was bombarded with explicit messages and photos from fans. According to The Sun, a pal explained at the time: “Liz has always been jealous of the attention Kelvin receives. He is always getting stopped by girls wanting his autograph when he’s on nights out. Kelvin assures her nothing goes on, but over the years, it has worn her down and she decided that she just couldn’t continue seeing him.”
While they later got back together, Kelvin admitted she found it hard watching him kissing co-stars on Emmerdale. “I do ring her up and say, ‘I’m kissing so-and-so today’ and make a joke about it,” he told the publication.
“That’s how we deal with it. But Liz won’t watch the show because she gets too jealous. To me, though, it’s just work.” He added that he understood why Liz would have ‘reservations’ about him meeting loved-up fans, but that she had got ‘used to it’ and it was ‘fine’.
More recently, the couple described the dramatic shift in their environment as a ‘rollercoaster ride’. Kelvin said last year: “Navigating farming life with four small kids is certainly a challenge but one full of laughter and unforgettable memories.”
