Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz have expressed their dismay after their plans to relocate to the United States fell through, leaving the couple “gutted”. The couple, who feature in the popular ITV programme Fletcher’s Family Farm, had hoped to spend at least two years in California, pursuing opportunities as performers away from the British limelight.

Kelvin, best known for his two-decade role as Andy Sugden on Emmerdale and as the 2019 champion of Strictly Come Dancing, revealed how the idea first came about. Speaking on the Sliding Doors podcast, Kelvin said: “We decided – I think it was mid-2018 – to spend about three or four months in California, in LA predominantly. At the time, it was just myself, Liz and Marnie. That was our kind of family setup. I was CrossFitting every morning at 6 or 7 and was like, ‘this is the life.’

“And then it was just that thing of, ‘let’s just move here.’ We didn’t have any jobs at the time, we were working actors, and it was just like, ‘let’s just do it.’ Now, those decisions, I admit, for some people it’s like, ‘you can’t just decide that,’ but we can. If I want to go and do something, I’ll go and do it.

“If I’m 20, 30, 40, 60 – it’s sometimes easier said than done – but I’m proof of the pudding that they’re the decisions that I make. If I make a decision, then I’ll go ahead and do it. If it’s what I want to do, then I will do it. But Liz is the same.”

The pair then devoted a year to planning and trialling the idea before submitting their visa applications. Their ambition was to give Hollywood a shot, even if it meant working as Uber drivers or in cafes, simply for the thrill of living in a different country, reports the Manchester Evening News.

“First and foremost, try it as actors in Hollywood – you know, every cliché – but that’s what you want to try and do. I’ll work as an Uber driver. I’ll work in a cafe, just to reinvent myself, just to go somewhere nobody knows us and just see what it is. Why not?

“Because in our 40s, 50s, 60s, when we look back, I think, ‘I would have loved to have lived abroad.’ Well, yeah, I didn’t want that to happen. So, like I say, I’ve got a big fear of regret, and I don’t have a big fear of failing. I don’t want to fail, I don’t set out to fail, but I’m prepared to fail if need be,” Kelvin added.

However, timing was not in their favour. Kelvin revealed that the success of Strictly Come Dancing led to a wave of opportunities in the UK, prompting them to postpone their relocation. Then the pandemic hit, and US visa restrictions ultimately rendered the plan unattainable.

“There were no foreign workers allowed for the foreseeable future – I think for at least 18 months you weren’t going to be allowed into the country – so that was kind of the American dream over for us,” Kelvin said.

Liz also spoke about the emotional and financial strain, saying: “We were gutted. We invested so much money in the visa. This was the plan – we painted the house white, all the carpets were grey so we could sell the house straight away.”

Despite the disappointment, Kelvin offered a pragmatic perspective. “We can sit and cry about it, but ultimately it is what it is,” he said.

Kelvin and Liz, who live with their four children on a farm in the Peak District, have since redirected their efforts towards UK-based projects. As well as Fletcher’s Family Farm, they have also published their debut book, Fletcher’s on the Farm, offering a glimpse into their family life and farming adventures.