Yahoo News Kelvin Fletcher felt a 'little bit guilty' taking 'Strictly Come Dancing' place
Kelvin Fletcher has opened up about feeling 'a little bit guilty' about his triumphant Strictly Come Dancing appearance, which came off the back of Jamie Laing pulling out through injury.
The former Emmerdale actor, who is currently on BBC One's Kelvin's Big Farming Adventure said he found himself having to be a 'little bit selfish' in that moment and take the chance.
He told Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast: "When [Strictly] did come I just knew how much I wanted to do it, and now someone's misfortunate, and I felt a little bit guilty in taking that on.
WATCH: Kelvin Fletcher on being turned down for Strictly Come Dancing twice, before going on to win the whole series
"But that's where you have got to be a little bit selfish to think well, it's a redirection for him or her. What hasn't worked out for them, maybe that's opened another door up for them elsewhere. It's opened this door up for me, but maybe for them, who knows what they've gone on and done?"
Jamie Laing had to pull out of the 2019 series after injuring his foot, with Fletcher parachuted in at the last minute to replace him.
Fletcher went on to win the show with partner Oti Mabuse, and told Thornton that being on the show was something he had always held out for.
He said he still remembered getting the call from his very 'upbeat' agent.
He added: "I couldn't help but think... And I didn't know Jamie, I didn't even know it was Jamie at the time, I just knew it was somebody.
Read more: Kelvin Fletcher says TV industry can be 'snobby' about soap actors
"But I knew how much I'd wanted to do the show, I knew that for two years prior to that, I'd auditioned for it and for whatever reason, they didn't want me.
"I'd said no to so many of those type of shows, because I was holding out for Strictly. For me, it was a show that we watched as a family."
Fletcher's wife, actor Liz Marsland, also appeared on the episode and explained how someone else's misfortune had again ended up working out for the couple when they were buying their Peak District farm.
She said that when they first saw the farm, which they thought was 'the perfect place, the perfect location, it was already sold. As the pandemic came along, the other buyer had to pull out.
Marsland said: "We got the call to say it's back on the market, do you want it? So we quickly got in there and we're like, yeah!
"So if we hadn't had the pandemic, would we have the farm? Would we live here? Would we have the show? Probably not."
WATCH: Kelvin Fletcher and Liz Marsland on their journey to becoming farmers, and what they admire most about each other
