This Father’s Day is extra special for Kelvin Fletcher: it’s his first as a dad of four.
The actor and former Strictly Come Dancing champion and his wife Elizabeth welcomed twin boys on 30 April – little brothers for five-year-old Marnie and Milo, three – and the family have shared their joy in an exclusive photoshoot and interview with HELLO!
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"We're celebrating the three dads today – my dad, Liz’s dad and me," says actor and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Kelvin, who poses for our exclusive Father’s Day digital cover at the family’s beautiful Peak District farm. "We're having a nice family day together."
Kelvin Fletcher stars on our Father's Day digital cover
The best thing about living here is that our family get-togethers end up being so random: feeding the sheep, driving on the tractor, having egg-and-spoon races," adds actress and voiceover artist Liz.
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SEE: Kelvin Fletcher and 12 more celebrities who live on farms
"It’s so much fun for the kids. They’re the best days for us." Life on the farm was already busy for Kelvin and Liz – who as well as Marnie and Milo, have cavapoochon Ginger and a whole host of sheep, alpacas, horses and pigs, not to mention a few chickens.
Kelvin and Liz are proud parents-of-four
But as they proudly introduce their two new sons - whose names, HELLO! can exclusively reveal, are Maximus Crowther and Mateusz Kelvin – it’s obvious the Fletchers have taken to becoming a family of six very well indeed.
"The first week was just crazy – it was like a circus act when they’re spinning plates," says Liz, laughing. "I couldn’t physically pick up two babies at once, but now I can do it with two fingers!"
Kelvin dotes on Maximus and Mateusz
"It feels like it’s always been like this," agrees Kelvin, who found fame playing Andy Sugden on Emmerdale.
In HELLO!'s exclusive interview and photoshoot, Kelvin and Liz, who documented their move to the countryside in hit BBC1 show Kelvin's Big Farming Adventure, discuss the birth of their baby twins, life as a family of six, and what's coming up next on the farm…
Congratulations! What was it like introducing the twins to their older siblings, Marnie and Milo?
Liz: "Milo was like: 'He's heavy.' Marnie was kissing them. It was so cute."
The family enjoy farm life
Kelvin: "Even though Milo is only three, he knew instinctively to be really gentle with them. They’ve become more grown-up overnight. Milo was our baby, now he's like a little boy. And Marnie has been a great little helper."
Liz: "When I'm changing their nappies and they’re screaming, Milo comes up to them and sings a song, bless him."
Tell us about the birth…
Liz: "We thought we were going to have a week where we had no work, to get everything ready for the babies, but they came early. I woke up in the morning and my waters had broken. I rang the hospital and they said to come in. Kelvin had to stay with the kids, so I drove myself to the hospital, which is an hour away, at 5am. I was a bit panicky that Kelvin might miss the birth if it happened straight away. They did a scan and told me: 'It's going to be today.'"
Kelvin is spending Father's Day with his family
Kelvin: "I dropped the kids off with my mum and dad. They met me in a random service station on the motorway. Then I drove to the hospital with an overnight bag… We'd booked tickets to watch Beauty and the Beast in Manchester as a treat for Marnie and Milo before everything got crazy.
"My brother ended up taking them. We were telling our anaesthetist this and next minute, he took his phone out and played the Beauty and the Beast playlist, saying: 'Well, we're there in spirit'. It was so thoughtful and settled the mood. It was an amazing, overwhelming moment."
The boys' sweet nursery at the family farm
Liz: "They were delivered via Caesarean section. When they showed them to us, we burst out crying. We knew we were having twins, but it's still a shock to actually see these two little babies together. It felt like an out-of-body experience. Even now, I can’t quite believe we've had twins."
What is the meaning behind the babies' names?
Liz: "Kelvin wanted to stick with the M theme, but I was picking all sorts of different names. If we'd preferred a different name, we would've gone with it."
Liz 'burst out crying' when she met her babies
Kelvin: "Maximus's middle name Crowther is the surname and nickname of my best friend, Steven Crowther, who sadly passed away of a heart attack a few years ago. He was only 39. Me and him were inseparable, like twins. In my mind, it's Kelvin and Crowther: part two. A mini version. I hope Maximus will be like him. He was hilarious, sensitive, just a lovely person."
Kelvin shared the meaning behind the babies' names
Your BBC1 show Kelvin's Big Farming Adventure was a huge hit with viewers! Can we look forward to another series?
Kelvin: "Viewers are asking: 'What does a year down the line look like?' 'What is it like with twins?' At the back end of the year, we're going to carry on with that journey. We're still discussing how that will look."
What's coming up next on the farm?
Kelvin: "The farming carries on. It's a quieter time of year now, but we're making hay at the moment. We want it to be a working farm, selling our own produce. By next year, you'll be able to buy Fletcher's sausages."
The couple haven't ruled out having more children
Is your family now complete?
Liz: "It's weird, you have a baby and say: 'That's it now,' but then you think: 'I could have another one.' Kelvin said it too."
Kelvin: "We'll have to take each month as it comes. A lot can change in a year. We moved to the countryside for the quiet life and it's been the absolute opposite! But I wouldn’t have it any other way."
For the full interview and photoshoot, pick the latest issue of HELLO! magazine, out Monday.
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