Kelvin Fletcher has hit back with force after being accused of “ripping off” Jeremy Clarkson’s hit farming series — insisting his own journey into agriculture is authentic, original and deeply personal.
The former Emmerdale star and his wife Liz bought their 120-acre Peak District farm back
in 2020, boldly swapping red carpets and city life for mud, livestock and
early mornings — despite having zero farming experience. Since then, they’ve
opened their gates to viewers through several TV projects,
including the 2022 BBC series Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure.
But the shift from soap star to shepherd hasn’t been without backlash.
When Kelvin’s series premiered, social media critics were quick to brand it
a copycat of Clarkson’s Amazon Prime juggernaut, filmed at the famous Diddly
Squat Farm.
Memes were posted. Comments flew. One viewer even claimed on X:
“On BBC1 right now is a @PrimeVideo Jeremy Clarkson the Farm rip off with Kelvin Fletcher.”
Rather than stay silent, Kelvin confronted the comparisons head-on. Speaking on the Netmums podcast Sweat, Snot & Tears, he dismissed the criticism as unfair and claimed it undermines the variety of farming shows already on television.
“It’s a bit unfair,” he insisted. “There’s a whole host of that type of show — I can think of half a dozen straight away. To be compared exclusively to Clarkson is a little random.”
He also revealed that his own filming timeline proves the accusations don’t
stand up.
“We were already three
months into production when Clarkson’s came out,” he explained. “There’s the
development process, pitching, commissioning — we were already filming
before Clarkson’s even aired.”
And while Kelvin admits he and Liz are fans of Clarkson’s series — in
fact, they binge-watched it — he stressed that any similarities begin and
end at the genre.
“It’s a completely different show,” he said firmly.
Then came his most defiant statement of all:
“I’m not copying anyone, I’ve got no need to. I’m confident in who we are, as a family, what we represent. It’s just us.”
For Kelvin, the story isn’t about imitation — it’s about authenticity. A family discovering farming the hard way, learning on camera, and embracing a life far outside their comfort zone.
His message to critics is simple:
Judge the show on its merits.
If
you love it, great.
If not? Watch
something else.
Because as far as the Fletchers are concerned, their farming adventure isn’t a replica.
It’s their reality — unpolished, unpredictable and entirely their own.