Emmerdale's Kelvin Fletcher 'beaming with pride' as daughter, 7, makes acting debut on soap

Emmerdale legend Kelvin Fletcher has been left overwhelmed with emotion at watching his daughter Marnie following in his footsteps on rival soap Hollyoaks.

The actor, who played Andy Sugden on the ITV drama until 2016, said his heart was "beaming with pride" at seeing his child, seven, in a scene. He had gone along to filming for the Channel 4 show as his daughter's chaperone, saying watching her on set was "one of the very few times I’ve felt completely fulfilled".

Strictly Come Dancing champ Kelvin added that the youngster was even starting to beat him for acting work, saying the week she was cast in Hollyoaks, he failed to bag two jobs.

He shared a clip of her performing as Lexi Roscoe, writing: "Marnie made her TV acting debut last week as she joined the fantastic cast of Hollyoaks.

"I was her ‘chaperone’ and I can’t begin to tell you the emotions I felt standing there watching. To be standing behind the camera, watching my 7yr old daughter act for the first time in front of the camera, brought so many feelings back to when I first started acting.

"It felt so surreal to be there witnessing it all again but this time, as a parent. My heart was beaming with pride and it was genuinely one of the very few times I’ve felt completely fulfilled."

Kelvin added: "To see your child find their passion and chase that feeling is one of the most beautiful and inspiring things to behold. What a moment for me and more importantly, what a moment for her. Well done darling."

The star went on: "P.S. The same week she got that casting, I didn’t get two! Typical."

The clip showed Marnie as Lexi talking to Freddie Roscoe, who is her real dad, while playing at school.

The character was adopted by Joe Roscoe and Mercedes McQueen when she was young and, in typical soap style, has had a turbulent childhood.

Back in real life, Kevin and Liz have four children – Marnie, Milo, five, and twins Mateusz and Maximus, who were born in 2022.

In recent months fans have been able to keep a close eye on the family thanks to their popular ITV1 show, Fletchers' Family Farm, which follows their lives in the Peak District.