Kelvin Fletcher played the much-loved Andy Sugden for two decades

Over the years Emmerdale fans have been pleading with writers to return beloved character Andy Sugden to screens. The iconic character was played by Kelvin Fletcher on the show for an epic 20 years.

The 41-year-old TV star left the ITV drama behind him in 2016 and rumours have constantly swirled that his alter-ego could make an remarkable show comeback – especially because Andy wasn’t actually killed off.

It’s almost been a decade since Kelvin was last seen in the Yorkshire Dales and while he is no longer acting, his new life in the Cheshire countryside isn’t exactly a million miles away from the life of his farmer character.

More recently, Kelvin and his wife Liz, along with their four children, opened up the doors of their home after purchasing a 120 acre Farm in the Peak District, during Covid.

The family have recently taken a leaf out of Jeremy Clarkson’s book and unveiled their very own family-fun show, highlighting what life is really like living on a farm.

But the real question on everyone’s lips is why did Kelvin Fletcher leave Emmerdale? Here, we explore all of his reasons for fleeing the soap after so long.

Andy Sugden’s exit

Kelvin first graced screens at the tender age of six, making his Emmerdale debut in 1996 but having no idea at that time that his soap appearance would shape his entire career.

On the programme, Andy’s real parents were Billy and Trisha Hopwood but he was introduced as the son of Jack Sugden and Sarah Sugden, later finding out he’d been adopted.

Having spanned the decades on the show, it’s really no wonder that Andy found himself at the centre of some really dramatic episodes – including the suspicious death of his wife Katie, who fell through the barn after she was pushed by Andy’s step brother Robert Sugden.

Katie and Robert also had an affair behind Andy’s back, causing their family to completely fall apart. After all of the years of chaos, Kelvin’s character decided it was all too much and left the village with a fake passport Robert has sourced for him.

His exit didn’t feel final for fans, it didn’t feel forever and the fact Andy Sugden is still alive somewhere in the world continues to give hope that an epic comeback will one day be on the cards.

Acting was a hobby not a career

So we know why his fictional character Andy left the show but what we haven’t established yet is the real reason for Kelvin choosing to give up on acting after 20-years.

On a past episode of This Morning, the father-of-four opened up on the real reason he decided to leave Emmerdale in the past. Speaking to hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, he said: “Twenty years is a long time. It’s been an incredible twenty years.

“I am so grateful to Emmerdale. Throughout that period I have always had a real sense of fulfilment and purpose. He went on to explain that he’d stumbled into acting and it had never been a lifelong dream.”

He added: “What started out as a hobby at six years old – I was then able to do something like that every day on a professional platform on one of the country’s greatest shows. I have been extremely lucky.

“Looking back over 20-years it has been a rollercoaster and for me it’s given me passion to leave and continue.”

Problems at home

According to the actor, it wasn’t always happy times for him and his wife Liz when he was taking part in kissing scenes on the soap.

In a past interview, Kelvin explained he’d have to check in with his wife before intimate scenes because she’d get “jealous” and would refuse to watch the show.

In an interview with The Sun, he previously explained: “I do ring her up and say, ‘I’m kissing so-and-so today’ and make a joke about it. 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.”

New TV role

Following his exit from the Dales, Kelvin has had many TV successes, he won seventeenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, alongside pro-dancer Oti Mabuse and even went on to launch his own show, Fletchers’ Family Farm in October 2023.

More recently the Fletcher’s announced further exciting news, sharing another joint success on an appearance of ITV’s Lorraine. Following the popularity of their farm series , Kelvin and Liz will now be sharing the stage with the Scottish host more frequently.

Chatting to Lorraine Kelly after doing the school run, Liz confirmed: “Over the next few weeks and months we’re going to be sharing with you and the viewers a bit of an exclusive insight into our life on the farm. It’s going to be an exciting few months with you guys.”

Fletchers’ Family Farm airs ITV1 on Sundays at 11:30AM and on ITVBe at 8PM.