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Former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher has embarked on a dramatically different path since departing the ITV soap that launched his career.

The star, who portrayed Andy Sugden, bid farewell to Emmerdale in 2016 following two decades in the role. His character's exit saw Andy wrongly accused of shooting Lawrence White by Chrissie White, prompting him to flee custody using forged documents to evade prosecution.

Today, in what could be described as life mirroring fiction, Kelvin and his wife Liz have settled into farming life with their four young children, with their daily experiences captured in the ITV programme Fletchers' Family Farm, which is set to return for its fourth series.

Prior to the upcoming season, Kelvin, who celebrates his 42nd birthday this weekend, joined Liz on James Martin's Saturday Morning on January 17, discussing their "chaotic" existence. The celebrity chef was curious whether the actor longed for his soap days or harboured thoughts of a potential return.

"Do you miss your old life as well? I mean you did 2,000 episodes. When you look at it like that, that's a huge amount," James enquired, reports the Daily Star.

Kelvin responded: "No I don't. Emmerdale was 20 happy years but there's not a day goes by I'd ever really think about it really. It's a past chapter and I've very much moved on now. It's funny, like I've said before, how life's immitating art."

James subsequently questioned whether his character had met a permanent end or if a return to the Dales remained possible. "I think I'm on the run, I think I'm in Spain," Kelvin quipped.

"So I could go back having trained as a chef with a bit of a tan!"

However, for the time being, Kelvin and Liz are concentrating on the fourth instalment of Fletchers' Family Farm, which chronicles their escapades on their Peak District smallholding.

Liz hinted at what's in store for audiences, revealing: "We're bringing pigs back into it this time - we've had a bit of a break from pigs because they become a bit problematic but we miss them so we have brought pigs back. Just more of farm chaos really!"

The pair also revealed that previous series would be reshown on ITV1 during the 7.30pm weeknight slot, recently freed up as Emmerdale shifts to a later broadcast time.

"We're the new Emmerdale basically," Liz chuckled. "On a Monday night they're going to show shorter versions of series one, two and three."

Kelvin continued: "It's a bit of a catch up, a bit of a rejig, so if you've been under a rock for the past couple of years, this is what you've missed."

Emmerdale is on ITV1 weeknights at 8pm. Fletchers' Family Farm returns to ITV1 on Monday, January 19 at 7.30pm

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