Emmerdale star Claire King has played the iconic Kim Tate since 1989. While she has made a few breaks, she staged her huge comeback in 2019 and has remained ever since.

Kim has had quite a dramatic life in Emmerdale. From murders, deaths and affairs she has experienced all of it. Currently Kim is comfortably living in Home Farm, but in SoapLand that all can change very quickly.

But away from the Dales, it seems Claire has also had quite a dramatic life. And some of it isn’t that far disconnected to Emmerdale. Here’s everything you need to know about Emmerdale star Claire King’s life.
Claire has had a dramatic life away from the village (Credit: ITV)

Claire King career before Emmerdale

The now-63 year old had a completely different career before she joined Emmerdale.

She was a member of the pop girl group To Be Continued. So she is yet another Emmerdale star who also has amazing musical talents.

She also dabbled in acting, taking a tole in the 1987 movie Eat The Rich.

But then she headed for the village and has kept going back over the years.

How many Emmerdale breaks has Claire King had?

Emmerdale welcomed Claire for the first time in 1989. And it’s safe to say she immediately made an impression.

She originally stayed on the soap for a huge ten years, leaving in January 1999.

But Emmerdale fans never stopped missing her, and in 2018 she made a brief reappearance. And then came back permanently in 2019.
Claire was previously married to her co-star (Credit: ITV)

Ex-husband’s affair with co-star

Believe it or not, Claire began a relationship with Chris Tate star Peter Amory. The pair tied the knot in 1994 and were together for a decade.

But their relationship came to an abrupt end when Claire discovered Peter had been having an affair – with another Emmerdale star.

It was reported that Peter had been having an affair with Bernice actress Samantha Giles. While Samantha has never addressed the claims, Claire has spoken about it a number of times over the years. Peter himself stated that he and Samantha were both separated from their partners when they were seeing each other – but Claire disputed that.

Speaking to The Mirror in 2005, Claire opened up about the affair. She revealed: “I was travelling back to Yorkshire every weekend. I remember Pete saying that I only come back to see my dogs and horses. And I thought: ‘Well yea, and to catch you at it!’.”

She then, in the same interview revealed how she discovered the affair. And it was down to Samantha’s husband.

She said: “But then it was Samantha’s husband who wrote me a letter and told me. That was about four years ago. I questioned Pete and he told me it was over but then it started again.

“At that point I said: ‘Well you have to go with her then, because it obviously isn’t going to stop’. She was there when I was in Emmerdale and you can’t help those thoughts going round in your head.”

Despite the affair, Claire admitted she tried to “put on a brave face” which resulted in her and Peter being able to stay friends.
Claire made her Emmerdale comeback in 2018 (Credit: ITV)

Current relationship for Emmerdale Claire King

Despite the negativity from her first marriage, Claire went on to find happiness again.

Claire got remarried, but choses to keep her husband out of the public eye. It’s believed he had two teenage kids from a previous relationship, making Claire a step-mother.

Health battles

At 28 years old, Emmerdale star Claire King was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis – an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain and stiffness.

And over the years, she has revealed how it has caused her issues that almost stopped her from working.

She previously said: “My doctors are very good. I manage it. I have various pills and injections every week and i just get on with it. But there are certain things I can’t do at work, like wearing killer heels for more than five minutes.

“And the costume department has to do up all of my buttons, as it takes me ages. Doing my hair and makeup takes me a bit longer too, as I have metal in some of my fingers.”