A past interview has shed light on the early struggles of Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Eliza Marsland’s relationship – particularly her jealousy over his on-screen intimacy and growing fame.

The former Emmerdale star is best known for playing smouldering farmer Andy Sugden.

However, he previously revealed that his wife found it difficult to watch him act in romantic scenes. She reportedly admitted that her jealousy meant she often avoided the soap entirely.

The actor and model – who will appear in a new episode of Fletchers’ Family Farm on Sunday – previously opened up to The Sun about Eliza’s insecurities.

“I do ring her up and say, ‘I’m kissing so-and-so today’ and make a joke about it,” he said in 2020.

“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.”

At the height of his Emmerdale fame, Eliza struggled to cope with the attention Kelvin received both on and off-screen.

They temporarily split in 2010 because of it, according to reports.

At the time, a friend reportedly told The Sun: “Liz has always been jealous of the attention Kelvin receives. He is always getting stopped by girls wanting his autograph when he’s on nights out.

“Kelvin assures her nothing goes on, but over the years it has worn her down, and she decided that she just couldn’t continue seeing him.”

Eliza and Kelvin’s marriage and children

The pair later reconciled and have since built a solid life together.

They married in 2015 and have gone on to raise four children – daughter Marnie, son Milo, and twins Mateusz and Maximus.

However, their relationship hit headlines in 2020 when Eliza reportedly unfollowed Kelvin on Instagram after a late-night drink he had with his Strictly Come Dancing 2019 partner Oti Mabuse.

Rumours swirled of a breakup, but a source quickly denied the speculation.

“Their marriage is fine,” the source insisted. “Eliza got a bit upset about his nights out and unfollowed him in the moment because she was angry and didn’t want to see his pictures while she was looking after their kids alone at home. But there’s really nothing more to it than that.”

Eliza herself addressed the situation on Instagram.

In a social media post, she explained why she had stopped wearing her wedding ring.

“That ring is heavy,” she quipped. “It only comes out on special occasions! Oh, and it was fake tan day. #nodramahere.”

Kelvin previously admitted that the pressures of fame have been challenging for both of them. However, he later claimed that they are “fine now”.

Kelvin and Eliza’s relationship – complete with its highs and lows – now takes centre stage on Fletchers’ Family Farm, where the couple show off their rural family life.