Kelvin Fletcher and wife Liz leave ITV viewers ‘switching off’ after emotional move

Kelvin Fletcher and wife Liz faced mixed reactions from ITV viewers after sending their award-winning cow Sonic for slaughter on Fletcher’s Family Farm

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Kelvin and Liz shared an bittersweet farm update(Image: ITV)

ITV viewers claimed to “switch off” Sunday’s episode of Fletcher’s Family Farm after Kelvin Fletcher informed viewers about his plans to send his cow Sonic for slaughter.

Kelvin revealed: “I’m in the barn with Sonic, and we’re about to start a journey that every farmer knows well, but in this particular case is new to us. It’s nearly time for Sonic to make the journey most livestock animals are bred for.”

Elaborating on the reasoning behind his decision, the former Emmerdale star explained: “The process is we have got Sonic in, and we’ve got him in to finish. We enjoy meat, as many people do, and this is part of it. Obviously, we’ve done that with the sheep and the pigs, and we’ve kind of got used to that now, whereas this is going to feel very well, I don’t know how it’s going to feel. Is it going to feel different? I don’t know.”

“Even though it’s part of life on the farm, it doesn’t make the moment any easier,” he added.

Kelvin went on to express his hopes of sitting down to Fletcher’s beef this Christmas. He said: “The kids understand brilliantly the concepts, in such an uncomplicated way, of what the animals become. You know, when we eat animals, they’ve got a very good understanding of that, and it’s uncomplicated, as it kind of should be. It’s celebrated,” reports the Mirror.

He added, “He’s had a great life running around and being happy. He looks in fantastic condition. He’s a show winner as well. Let’s not forget that he’s a rosette-wearing supreme champion. I’d probably go as far as saying you’d be our most famous.

“You’re our first, you’re award-winning, you’ve been on the telly, you’ve got a name, and you’ll be the first Fletcher beef that we eat and other people eat, so there’s a lot riding on this, mate.”

Following the episode, Kelvin and his wife, Liz, shared an update with his Instagram followers. Taking to their Fletcher’s Family Farm Instagram account, the couple announced, “Fletcher’s Beef. What a moment for us.”

Kelvin and Liz didn’t confirm whether the beef was from Sonic, but some fans were left distressed by the news, with many claiming they couldn’t watch the latest episode.

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Some viewers claimed to switch off Fletcher’s Family Farm(Image: ITV)

One viewer wrote, “I’ve just watched today’s show, and I had to turn it off…poor Sonic.”

“I can’t watch this week’s! The downside of farming for me,” another said, whilst a third added, “Shan’t be watching anymore.”

Someone else pleaded, “Please don’t name them, if you’re going to eat them.”

Another asked, “Is that poor Sonic? You’re a braver person than me, no way could I eat him.”

Others congratulated the couple on their beef; they commented, “Looks fabulous, beef. Congratulations, that’s a hard job to choose the cattle to market. It needs to be done.

“Congrats to you, I couldn’t be a farmer, I couldn’t feed them, name them, rear them, and then eat them. I am not saying I don’t eat meat, I do, but not ones I name,” another agreed.