Fletcher’s Family Farm Closes, But This Farming Life Continues to Showcase Scotland’s Agricultural Realities

Fletcher’s Family Farm has concluded but fans need not worry, as BBC’s This Farming Life is the ideal show

The latest series of Fletcher’s Family Farm has now wrapped up on ITV.

Back in 2020, former Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher and his wife, Liz, swapped their Oldham residence for a 120-acre farm in the Peak District. Throughout the last three years, they’ve invited viewers into their domestic world and revealed the realities of managing a working farm.

The Fletchers live on the property with their children, Marnie, Milo, and twins Mateusz and Maximus. The farm operates privately and isn’t regularly open to the public.

Series four concluded on Sunday, April 12, presenting particularly tough challenges for the household, marked by considerable emotional and financial pressure.

Audiences saw devastating scenes, including the heartbreaking death of their cow, Cherry, and the ordeal of evacuation from their property following a fire, reports the Mirror.

Following the series finale broadcast earlier this month, viewers responded after Kelvin and Liz shared: “Our last episode of the season airs today. You know what that calls for……cuppa tea time.”

Those already pining for the ups and downs of Fletcher’s Family Farm needn’t worry, as there’s a BBC programme examining the demanding juggling act of combining family commitments with agricultural work.

This Farming Life broadcasts on Thursday evening at 8 pm on BBC Two and iPlayer, following diverse farming households across Scotland’s beautiful countryside.

In the most recent series, which launched in February, Ally Williamson opened his farm to television cameras for 10 months.

The farmer works alongside his two children, Bethany and Noah, his partner, Maggie, and his parents, transforming the entire crofting enterprise into a complete family venture.

The programme also chronicles another family, Hampshire dairy farmers Adam and Lucy Johnstone, and their baby, who must borrow £4 million to move their entire business to Scotland.

Now in its eighth series, the programme has been described as “wonderful”, with one viewer posting on IMDb: “Amazing programme giving a real insight into the daily life of farming.”

While another declared, “Can’t get enough of this series! This is such a wonderful, well-made series! The scenery is beautiful.”

A third viewer explained: “Honest, Heartfelt, and Hugely Important. This Farming Life has arguably done more in just a few series to promote understanding of the work, triumphs, and struggles of farmers than Countryfile has managed in over three decades.”

They continued: “Where other rural programmes can sometimes feel polished or detached, This Farming Life offers an honest, compassionate, and deeply human portrayal of what it means to live and work on the land in 21st-century Scotland.”

Producers have already commissioned a ninth series, scheduled to broadcast in 2027. The 12-episode documentary series highlights the commitment and hard work of farmers throughout the country.