Dancer, actor, father of four and farmer. There are very few things that Kelvin Fletcher cannot do. ‘Hold on’, you might say. ‘What do you mean farmer? I thought that was just acting?’ Well, it was, until about three years ago when Kelvin and his wife Liz decided that they needed a change of scenery. Plans to move to Los Angeles were touted, but a far more sensible decision (we think) was made: a move to a small family farm in the Peak District.
Not your typical move for an actor and he’ll be the first to admit it. But since the move, he and his family haven’t looked back. Even better for us, they decided to bring some TV cameras with them to document the experience, leading to the creation of Fletchers’ Family Farm, the second season of which began yesterday.
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‘I’ve never seen an industry that can encapsulate life so well,’ he told me on the Country Life Podcast. ‘It teaches you about hard work, a sense of responsibility. The essential need to look after others, to look after the animals, to look after the land that you’re farming.’
We talk about the good moments, the bad moments, the neighbours and the things he wished he’d known before deciding to become a farmer. And, of course, we spoke about Strictly. You’ll be delighted to hear that the Mirrorball Trophy still has pride of place in the Fletcher household.
It’s a fascinating chat, and a rare glimpse into the life of a ‘new entrant’ into the rural community. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and you can watch all the episodes of Fletchers’ Family Farm on ITV.
Episode credits
- Host: James Fisher
- Guest: Kelvin Fletcher
- Producer and editor: Toby Keel
- Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
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