Emmerdale actor Kelvin Fletcher has admitted he cried while filming his final scenes for the ITV soap, which aired on Tuesday.

An hour-long episode saw Kelvin’s character Andy Sugden leave the show 20 years after his first appearance.

Following the broadcast, the 32-year-old actor took part in a Q&A via the official Emmerdale Twitter account.

One fan of the popular programme asked him if he was crying, to which he replied: “I did cry filming those last scenes.”

Another asked what his plans are now that he has left Emmerdale after two decades, referencing recent reports that he is keen to focus on being a racing driver.

Kelvin confirmed that he has “left to continue acting”.

.@sugdenss I did cry filming those last scenes x #AskKelvin @kelvin_fletcher #Emmerdale

— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) August 16, 2016

.@TeamKFletcher I've left to continue acting x #AskKelvin #Emmerdale

— Emmerdale (@emmerdale) August 16, 2016

Andy’s final scenes on the soap saw him bid an emotional farewell to his brother Robert (Ryan Hawley) as a fugitive on the run, leaving behind his on-off girlfriend Bernice (Samantha Giles), who decided not to go with him.

He had discovered he had been framed by Chrissie (Louise Marwood) for the murder of Lawrence White (John Bowe).

Kelvin has played Andy on the long-running show since 1996.

Emmerdale’s Andy Sugden and Robert Sugden saying their emotional farewell (ITV/Emmerdale/YouTube grab)

His character arrived in the soap as Andy Hopwood, but was adopted by Jack and Sarah Sugden, and so became a permanent part of the Sugden family.

Well-known storylines over the years have included Andy setting fire to the farm’s barn, as well as a domestic abuse storyline and a plot which saw his brother Robert being shot.