“The people of Oldham are very much salt of the earth”, are the words of Strictly Come Dancing winner, actor turned farmer, and adoring dad Kelvin Fletcher.
The former Emmerdale star took time out of his busy schedule juggling acting, parenthood and duties on his 120-acre farm in the Peak District, to talk about how his proud Oldham roots influenced his career.
It was while living in his terraced home on Evelyn Street in 1980s Derker that he took up acting, enrolling at Oldham Theatre Workshop – where founder David Johnson took him under his wing.
“I spent some very happy days in Derker, but the house I grew up in has been knocked down – much of the area has kind of been redeveloped,” the dad-of-four said.
“I was seven years old when I went to Oldham Theatre Workshop. It was really enjoyable, they attracted people who wanted to do something a little bit different. I went there not to act but just to do something and I found a passion.
“It was just somewhere to work up your social skills and confidence – I’ve got a lot to thank Oldham Theatre Workshop, I was still in and around there for many years until my teens.”
Just a year on from taking up acting at the drama school he moved onto the Thorp Estate in Royton, and subsequently enrolled at Thorp Primary School before progressing on to North Chadderton School.
At the age of 10, Kelvin landed his first major acting gig as an extra in Cracker, a TV drama which followed a maverick who helped profile and catch killers in Manchester.
Robbie Coltrane, well-known for his role as Hagrid in Harry Potter, and Ricky Tomlinson, known for his role as working-class dad Jim Royle in The Royle Family, helped show him the ropes with both having played parts in the episode.
Two years later Kelvin would land the role as Andy Hopwood/Sugden on soap Emmerdale, which he go on to play for two decades.
Now, nearly eight years on from leaving the iconic role, the 40-year-old finds himself in rural Cheshire tending to almost 150 animals on his Wincle estate, near Macclesfield, with film crews following him around as part of documentary series Flecther’s Family Farm.
When asked whether his role in Emmerdale foreshadowed his later farming career, he said: “There’s no real crossover to be honest – one is a fictional character and one is real life.
“I know to those outside there’s an obvious connection but to me I left that show years ago.”
Life however, could have turned out much different for the 2019 Strictly champion, who won with dance partner Oti Mabuse, after he and his actress wife Liz Marsland were edging for Hollywood.
The move did not materialise as the pandemic struck and forced them to consider other options – when Kelvin spotted the plot on the edge of the Peak District up for sale in 2020.
He and Liz moved into the farm with their two young children Marnie and Milo.
Two twin boys Maximus and Mateusz, 100 sheep, 30 pigs, 10 horses, six chickens, three alpacas, a cat and a dog later, the Fletcher’s have settled in Wincle.
So how often does Kelvin return to Oldham, and what are his favourite spots in the town?
“I’m in Oldham all the time”, he shared. “My immediate family are still there in Royton, and I’ve got a lot of my friends there too - in many ways it’s still home to me.”
Kelvin said that while he struggles to find time to go out drinking with his mates, the Greyhound Inn, on Holden Fold Lane, was where residents could find him enjoying a pint.
He said: “That was a great pub for our community, and near to us in Royton.
“You would go down on Christmas Day and everyone would be there, they do food, entertainment; yeah, the Greyhound was a great pub.”
While the Fletchers live a short hour away from the borough, they like to visit the Smoke Yard, off Yorkshire Street on Church Street, when possible – although admittedly Kelvin has not been recently.
He added: “That’s probably my favourite place to eat there.”
While interviewing Kelvin, it was clear to see how much passion and love he has for Oldham and its residents.
Speaking about Oldhamers and the borough, he said: “Oldham has an abundance of successful people, not just in arts but pharmaceutical and literary, and there’s a reason why.
“It’s that real sense of community; I had an unbelievable childhood, it’s a place where you would knock on your neighbours to borrow some sugar.
“The people make that town the great town that it is, I’m still proud of my Oldham roots and that’s because the people are very much salt of the earth.”
There is a reason why Oldham loves Kelvin Fletcher, and while his acting and dancing skills help, the real reason is that among the glitz and the glam of celebrity status he has not forgotten where he came from.
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